Pricking pomposity at Stockton's outdoor showcase
Here comes The Market Inspector
Stockton’s flagship cultural event is nearly upon us, with the 39th Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) another golden opportunity for the region’s UK Town of Culture contender to show what it’s about.
It’s taking place over the weekend of July 31 to August 2 when the new Waterfront Park and adjacent High Street will be given over to street theatre, circus, music and dance.
More than 100 individual performances – local, national and international – are part of the lively programme, including a new SIRF commission from disabled-led production company Little Cog and the Full Circle learning disabled theatre ensemble.
They have collaborated to create an outdoor comedy called The Market Inspector, text-free but inspired by clowning and physical comedy.
It tells of a pompous perfectionist whose grand plans for a pristine artisan quarter in Stockton’s famous market unravel when a group of playful troublemakers arrives to claim the space.
It’s a second SIRF commission for Full Circle and a satellite event of the Our Stomping Grounds Festival which it runs with Little Cog to showcase the best of learning disability culture.
You can catch performances at 2pm or 5.30pm on Saturday, August 1, beginning at Shambles on Stockton High Street and progressing by means of a lively promenade to the performance space.
At the centre of the action will be the market inspector himself, accompanied by his long-suffering assistant carrying everything needed for the grand opening on tricycle and trailer.
Designed by Amy Jones, the show will feature larger-than-life costumes as befits a world where pretension is joyfully turned upside down.
The show, celebrating the power of physical theatre to connect with audiences, has been devised and will be performed by the learning disabled actors of Full Circle and directed by Vici Wreford-Sinnott.
Vici, who is also artistic director of Little Cog, says: “We have had so much fun creating this special performance for SIRF and can’t wait to perform it on our very own High Street!
“The Market Inspector has many laugh-out-loud moments, perfected by the crafting and hard work of our incredible actors.
“We invite our regular audiences to come and enjoy this celebration of learning disability culture and look forward to welcoming new audiences to the show.”
Meanwhile the actors of Full Circle hope people enjoy a show they hope will prove warm, funny and even heartbreaking.
“The costumes are a brilliant burst of colour and the set appears like magic as our cast of rebels arrive. We hope you love watching it as much as we have loved making it for you.”
Councillor Nigel Cooke, Stockton Borough Council’s cabinet member for health, leisure and culture, says the show encapsulates what SIRF is all about, “bringing communities together and delivering magical and memorable experiences for everyone involved”.
“Be sure not to miss it and celebrate these wonderful actors shining a spotlight on learning disability culture,” he adds.
You can see the full three-day programme on the SIRF website.