Somerset-based family theatre festival celebrates its fifth year next month

THE only UK festival organised for children is All the World's our Playground.

This immersive event, now in its fifth year, showcases an enchanting family theatre experience and a captivating performance curated by many young individuals in Somerset.

Shepton Mallet will be the host to 12 acts, 26 artists, and 21 shows during the weekend of July 13-14, 2024 - with the main festival day being Saturday, July 13.

Get ready for an array of amazing award-winning theatre companies, from the captivating and thrilling Contakt Collective circus troupe, the interactive and immersive Blockbuster Factory from Cat and Mouse theatre, to the unique theatre show held inside a 20m long whale for 40 people, and lastly Matt Pang's entertaining Those in Glass Houses performance filled with swinging bricks and comedic chaos!

The line-up for the event includes a unique theatre show made entirely of soap suds by the talented duo Crow's Nest.

Additionally, the renowned Kristina Stephenson will be hosting an immersive storytelling session.

Visitors can also look forward to the magical moving shed by aKa Dance Theatre, featuring Shed ache.

On Sunday, audiences can join in on the incredible craft-along adventure.

Boxville, created by the acclaimed theatre maker Sam Wilde. And that's not all, there's much more to be promised on the line-up!

The whole festival has been very carefully cultivated by a panel of 74 youth programmers, comprising 14 Arts Ambassadors and 60 children across 7 schools in the Shepton Mallet area.

These schools include: St. Paul’s CofE VC Junior School, Bowlish Infant School, St Aldhelm’s Church School, The Mendip School, Shepton Mallet Infants School and The Federation of Croscombe and Stoke St Michael Primary Schools.

Over the years, Make The Sunshine has made an amazing relationships with the community and has developed many special ways of working with local schools and organisations alike, to maximise opportunities for all the local people.

Poppy, one of the 2024 Arts Ambassadors, said: “Normally adults decide what they think is best for young people, but they might not actually know what we like.

"So when young people make the decisions, they'll be able to get it accurate for other children to enjoy the shows.”

Leo, a young programmer from St Paul’s School, aged 9, said: “It means a lot because we get to plan activities and make people happy, as well as making sure that everyone has their say no matter who or what you are, you are important.

"Young people don’t always get recognised, a lot of others say it’s for older and more important people, but we are all important and different in our own special way.”

In addition to various national and international theatre companies, the festival will showcase workshops and performances by local schools and community groups in the town.

More than 185 young individuals will be performing a variety of their own works that were inspired by workshops organized by Make the Sunshine.

These workshops will be led by professional choreographers and theatre makers.

Additionally, there will be a unique performance inspired by ABBA from Shepton's very own Chapel Dance Studio.

Ticketed events can be booked by visiting www.makethesunshine.co.uk (or on Ticket Tailor) where you can also find a full programme of events for the day.

And the audience are not just being invited to watch the performance, but to become the beating heart of the movie, and step into Martin Bielsperg’s film venture and join his phenomenal assistant Phil in one of a diverse range of roles.

This film’s destiny is a mix of saddening disaster and triumph. Using only bananas for props and equipment, each performance is an entirely new immersive performance, making every film an amazing unpredictable experience for all.

Make sure you don't pass up on this opportunity for a weekend filled with excitement, games, theatre, and imagination in Shepton Mallet.

A spokesperson said: "We owe a huge thank you to Arts Council England, Shepton Mallet Town Council, Without Walls, Wells Festival of Literature, Take Art, and our partnering organizations.

"The best part is, most of the events are free of charge, and even the ticketes are only £4 or less."