POLKA THEATRE PRESENTS THE PREMIERE OF THE RAPPING PRINCESS OPENING THIS MAY PLUS ACCESSIBLE PRODUCTION OF TORTOISE AND THE HARE

THE RAPPING PRINCESS – FOLLOW PRINCESS SHILOH ON A MUSICAL JOURNEY BASED ON HANNAH LEE AND ALLEN FATIMAHARAN’S INSPIRATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK IN POLKA’S ADVENTURE THEATRE SATURDAY 16 MAY – SUNDAY 21 JUNE

TORTOISE AND THE HARE – A TOE-TAPPING, LAUGH-OUT-LOUD RETELLING ON THE CHILDREN’S CLASSIC STORY WHERE EVERY SHOW INCLUDES CREATIVE CAPTIONS, INTEGRATED BSL AND AUDIO DESCRIPTION IN POLKA’S Y C CHAN THEATRE SUNDAY 2 – SUNDAY 31 MAY 

PLUS, A RANGE OF THEMED WORKSHOPS FOR ALL TO ENJOY

Polka Theatre’s Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive Helen Matravers, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive Lynette Shanbury, and the whole team are pleased to announce further details of the Polka premiere production of The Rapping Princess, plus the next instalment of Polka Theatre, Derby Theatre and Hiccup Theatre’s collaboration in  Tortoise and the Hare.

Polka Theatre’s new production of The Rapping Princess follows the inspirational storybook by award-winning author Hannah Lee and Allen Fatimaharan, where Princess Shiloh and her love for music (but lack of singing ability) takes her on a musical journey to discover different genres and find where her talent fits in. This funky fairytale for lovers of all music shows that everyone belongs by being uniquely themselves.  Join Shiloh in a celebration of all music in Polka’s Adventure Theatre from Saturday 16 May – Sunday 21 June, recommended for ages 3 - 6 years.  

Helen Matravers said: ‘The Rapping Princess is a gorgeous tale of learning to love your uniqueness, and to have the confidence to share your gift with the whole world. This gig-style bright, beautiful story will hopefully inspire hundreds of children to embrace their wonderful talents, take a leap into a creative unknown and be a great conversation starter for parents, families, schools and teachers everywhere. We are so excited to present this musical feast of a show, adorned with sparkles and lyrical twists which will get young audiences onto their feet dancing. There isn’t a children’s show quite like it anywhere else!’ 

From the creators of ‘Chicken Licken’ this new adaptation of the well-loved family classic Tortoise and the Hare is full of puppetry, hare-larious hijinks, fantastic storytelling and original live music that’ll have you hopping in your seats. Featuring creative captions, integrated BSL and audio description in every performance, helping the show to be truly accessible for all. This Polka Theatre, Derby Theatre and Hiccup Theatre co-production of Tortoise and the Hare runs in the Y C Chan Theatre from Sunday 2 – Sunday 31 May and is recommended for ages 3 – 7. 

Alongside the productions, Polka are also offering a range of creative workshops, including an exploration of rhythm, sound and movement in Baby Beatbox for 0 – 4 year olds on Tuesday 26 May, whilst 5 – 8 year olds can dive into the world of fables and create their own stories through games and musical instruments in the Create an Epic Fable workshop on Wednesday 27 May.   

Tickets are on sale now via polkatheatre.com or call 020 8543 4888*

Polka Theatre is one of just a handful of dedicated children’s venues in the UK. Re-opening in 2021 after a major renovation, it continues to present a year-round programme of shows produced by Polka and from visiting companies. Polka also offers a full programme of Creative Learning activities for ages 0–12, with over 21,000 children taking part in the last year. Polka enjoys flexible rehearsal and workshop spaces along with two performance spaces: the Y C Chan Theatre has a 300-seat capacity, and the Adventure Theatre can seat up to 90 depending on the show format.

Over the past year, Polka has worked with 143 schools through Creative Learning projects and has distributed over 9,000 free tickets to schools through their Curtain Up! scheme.

Polka is a community hub and vital resource, open 6 days per week, 50 weeks per year at a challenging time to be a sustainable public venue with step-free access, free-to-access play spaces and a cosy and welcoming café and shop.