a magical telling of the action-packed Russian adventure
Prince Ivan and his brothers set off in search of the fabled Firebird, which has been stealing golden
apples from the royal orchard. Ivan's brothers soon fall by the wayside, indulging
their selfish passions.
Ivan, guided by the Wise Woman of the Wild Woods, enlists the help of the Vanya the Wolf, the Horse with the Silver
Mane and Princess Yelyena the Fair. Together they confront Lodgoth, the wicked Tsar of the
Frozen Wastes. They rescue the Firebird and head for home. But the adventure has only just begun...
The story is told by Ivan and Yelyena, who bring to life a host of entertaining
characters, transform everyday objects (including a number of recycled umbrellas) into fabulous creatures
and use live music and song to accompany the adventure.
"It was utterly brilliant and all the children were fascinated.
There were lots of things thet they loved - the comedy moments that relaxed them; the pace, which meant they were never bored; the changing characters that made them pay attention; the strong story line that supported their understanding; the clear dialogue and brilliant props absolutely fascinated them.
There was also, perhaps particularly, an absolutely right 'pitch' at KS2, but the whole production entranced our youngest children too.
We have lots of feedback from the children.
As a teacher, I loved it for me and for the insights it gave me about myself as well as the children and the ways they responded, some expected and some totally unexpected."
Foxton Primary School
Technical details:
get-in 75 minutes;
performance 60 minutes;
post-performance questions and discussion 15 minutes;
get-out 45 minutes;
performance area 5m x 5m x 3m height;
access to a 13 amp socket for the lighting rig that we carry.
synopsis
script
animation
Golden apples are disappearing from the orchard that belongs to the Tsar of the Land of
Plenty, threatening the life of the Tsar and the health of the world.
The Tsar's elder sons, Peter and Dmitri, fail to catch the
thief but young Ivan snatches a feather from the creature of flame. The Tsar
recognises the thief to be the Firebird.
The Wise Woman of the Wild Woods tells Ivan and his
brothers that the Firebird is sent by Lodgoth the Sorcerer, Tsar of the Frozen
Wastes. The three brothers set off to free the Firebird and bring her back to
revive their ailing father.
They come across a Raven, trapped in a tree. Ivan releases
her and she tells the boys that they mustn't listen to the music of the
harvest dance in the town of Valpurgis.
When they reach Valpurgis the boys stop up their ears so as
not to hear the music. But a mysterious man called Zamwane tricks Peter and
Dmitri into unblocking their ears. Not only do they drink and dance the night
away but they also decide to stay there.
Ivan heads off alone towards the Frozen Wastes. In the
Fearsome Forest, he encounters Vanya the Wolf who helps him to summon Hrothga,
the Horse of the Silver Mane at the top of a moonlit mountain. They race
through the Fearsome Forest to the shores of the Great Lake.
Vanya the Wolf tells Ivan that he must persuade Yelyena the
Fair - who lives on the Island of Eternal Spring in the middle of the Great
Lake - to marry Lodgoth the Sorcerer. But first they have to battle the Giant
Water Snake that lives in the Great Lake.
Ivan meets Yelyena and persuades her that she must marry
Lodgoth to save the world. Despite having fallen in love with each other, Ivan
and Yelyena climb onto Hrothga's back and head for Lodgoth's Palace of Ice.
Lodgoth gives up the Firebird in exchange for Yelyena and
Ivan is bundled out of the Palace by Vanya and Hrothga before he can object.
Racing through the snow back towards his father, Ivan spots
something in the snow. It turns out to be Yelyena, magically rescued by Vanya
the Wolf.
But Lodgoth is after them on board his winged chariot, the
Dreaded Sky Slayer. A great battle ensues. The Firebird grows to giant
proportions and drives Lodgoth off.
Ivan and Yelyena say goodbye to Vanya and Hrothga. They
reach Valpurgis where Ivan's brothers have been all this while.
The brothers plot to steal the Firebird and claim the
reward that they think must be attached. They kill Ivan, grab Yelyena and the
Firebird and head off towards their father's palace.
Vanya the Wolf has sensed that something has happened to
Ivan. He summons the Wise Woman of the Wild Woods who sends the Raven to fetch
the Water of Life. She brings Ivan back to life.
Ivan gets back to the Palace to find his brothers trying to
force the fading Firebird to warm their father. He overcomes his brothers,
revives his father with the help of the Firebird, marries Yelyena and inherits
the Tsardom of the Land of Plenty.
