Hijinx Theatre

Hijinx are a professional theatre company, based at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, which tours small scale theatre throughout the UK, Europe and Internationally.

Their casts always include actors who have learning disabilities. The ability of these effortlessly talented performers is at the heart of every show they produce, creating work that is absorbing, surprising and provocative.

They call it inclusive theatre because it makes much of the skills and raw talent of people who often get overlooked in today’s world and gives them a platform to perform alongside actors who don’t have disabilities.

Training actors with learning disabilities to perform at a professional level is also at the heart of their mission. To that end, they have established professional performance training courses in Wales for actors with learning disabilities: the founding academy is based in Cardiff and others quickly opened in West & North Wales. The course is always looking to expand and roll out academies in other regions of Wales.

Flossie & Jet

Duration: 30 minutes, no interval

Description: Meet Flossie and Jet. Sisters of faded grandeur. Curious at the world they find themselves in, while still clinging to the remnants of a lost era, Flossie and Jet are on a journey to find a new place to live.

A delightful and poignant walkabout mask show performed by two actors.

Works well inside and outside.

Extra information
No assistance required. This show can be toured entirely self-sufficiently.

People on road: 4

Freight: baggage

Meet Fred

Duration: 80 minutes, interval optional

Description: Meet Fred. He is just a regular guy who wants to get on in life. He wants a good job and to settle down with a nice girl. Meet Fred is a visually inventive and entertaining snapshot into the life of a potty-mouthed puppet with a feisty personality who fights prejudice every day. It is an original exploration of what it means to be different, an outsider trying to make his mark in a world in which he needs a lot of help.

With wit and dark humour Hijinx (Cardiff) expose the ridiculous situations some of the most vulnerable in our society encounter when their support is taken from them, exploding the myth that “we are all in this together”.

Extra information: Box Office Information

Age Guidance: 14+ contains strong language, adult themes and puppet nudity.

Technical Specifications

General: Meet Fred is a puppet show performed by 3 puppeteers and 4 other members of cast. It is most suited to studio spaces, with tiered seating, of capacity 80-200.

Get in time: 3 hours

Get out time: 1 hour

Set: Five 6×8ft flats and two flight cases (both fitted with batteries and supply 12v power for birdies), two chairs, a wooden ladder and various props.

Stage requirements: Minimum – 5m width, 4m depth, 3m height,

A “Black Box” style theatre space is most effective. Black stage surface preferred. Black or similar dark coloured walls or drapes surrounding the stage with a minimum of 1 entrance/exit to backstage.

Sound: All sound playback is cued from a laptop /iPad at the lighting op position. There is no live sound in the production. No fallback is required on stage

LX: We will bring our own LX desk and all fixtures on the floor/booms. Where possible, if the venue can pre-rig the FOH and side bars, this is desired.

The plan can also be adapted to suit the requirements in the venue (please contact first)

Misc: A smoke machine/hazer will be used for two short burst during the performance. This will be supplied by us.

There is no strobe lighting in the performance.

People on road: 8 minimum.

Freight: necessary

Freight details: Where possible we will drive the set to the location in our van.

Snooks Brothers Bank

Duration: 30 minutes, no interval

Description: Small, dark and uncomfortable, the Snooks Brothers’ Bank is a picture of inconvenience. Little wonder then that the bank has few visitors... until one morning. The brothers awake to a rush, with you - the customers - waiting for your money.

A raucous interactive two-hander clown piece, suitable for all audiences.

Ideal for non-theatre spaces.

Extra information: Basic PA system to be sourced locally. Self-sufficient apart from this.

People on road: 4

Freight: baggage