The Bangkok International Children’s Theatre Festival (BICT Fest) 2016 marks the first festival for young audiences in Thailand. An international theatre showcase, the festival provides an open space for lots of creative activities for families — all of which are taking place at The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre from 21 June to 3 July 2016.

The programme comprises three categories: performances, workshops, and a forum. The performances are from six countries including UK, Portugal, Israel, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. They are interactive theatrical experiences; each of the eight shows is created with sensitivity towards children’s different age groups. They also promise to be lots of fun!

Details on each show are below.

·      Object-Led Theatre Performance “Recycled Rubbish” by Theatre Rites (UK): Two excavators search for treasures hidden amongst a world of rubbish, and a magical world unfolds where, at the touch of a puppeteer’s hand, the contents of a bin bag can transform before your eyes.

·      “The Old Man’s Books” by Papermoon Puppet Theatre (Indonesia): Papermoon will create a new interpretation of children’s favorite stories and characters.

·      Dance Theatre Performance “AliBaBach” by Companhia De Musica Teatral (Portugal): In this interactive performance suitable for babies to 5 years old children, the audience will be immersed in world of music inspired by the classical tune of J.S. Bach and folk songs, where music instruments turn into toys and wonderful lighting and shapes are all around.

·      “Live Bone” by Kaiji Moriyama x Kodue Hibino x Kohske Kawase (Japan): A unique show with upbeat music and stunning costumes inspired by human internal organs, this show explores the metaphorical expression of bones and internal organs.

·      Through old books and recycled bindings, “When All Was Green” by The Key Theatre (Israel) is a wordless puppet performance telling a story about a boy and an apple tree, about childhood and adolescence, about nature and greed and the disappearing green field being replaced by the concrete jungle.

·      Mixed media performance “The Adventure of Yoo Dee” by B-Floor Theatre (Thailand) is about the adventures of Yoo Dee, the most unfortunate child in the world, who follows the brightest star to fine his missing loved one; this story helps children get in touch with their emotions, preparing them for difficulties they might encounter in the future as well as helping them develop empathy for others.

·      ‘Little Cat’ by Bird Kid Jam (Thailand) invites you to storytelling time with live music about a cat’s life: his loves, his deaths, and endings with visual and music accompaniment.

·      Shadow Puppet Performance “Yellow O” by The Wandering Moon Performing Group (Thailand) is a story created especially for children with hearing impairment and special needs, exploring the world of visual language and how we can connect beyond speech, sight, and sound.

Even if the shows are from overseas, language is not an obstacle for the audiences to enjoy the show, because 70% of human communication is through physical language. Therefore, by observing with our open eyes, ears, and hearts to new learning, we can certainly understand each other.

The festival includes various workshops to suit different age ranges. They include “Pop-up Puppets” for families by Indonesian Papermoon Puppet Theatre; “Creative Puppet Making Workshop for Children and Children with Special Needs” by Dr. Sue Jennings (UK); “Recycled Art for Kids” by Theatre Rites (UK), “Music Immersion for Parents with Babies” by Companhia de Música Teatral (Portugal); “World Handwashing Dance” by Kaiji Moriyama (Japan); and “The Imaginative World of Paper and Moving Paper Puppets” by The Key Theatre (Israel).

Additionally, there are skills development workshops for teachers, theatre makers and professionals working with children, such as “Object-led Theatre Workshop” by Theatre Rites’ Director Sue Buckmaster, and “Let’s Play Together” by Channaphan Thannarat, a drama therapist. Last but not least, there is also a BICT Fest Forum which will talk about creativity and child development — and the benefits of learning through drama play for children.

For further enquiries or to book tickets, please call 081-441-5718 or 099-009-3172 or visit www.bictfest.com.

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