Kneehigh Theatre Company proposes to bring an alternative Olympics to different locations in the South West each week throughout the spring of 2012. The team will erect a beautiful Asylum structure at each site before leading games such as pantomime cow obstacle courses, Cornish wrestling, egg and spoon races, and 'flip a kipper' competitions. Invitations will be dropped from small planes inviting the local community to work on stories, costumes, food, music, dance and art in preparation for the Games. On the day of the games, all ages and abilities will compete for medals commissioned by artists and the Asylum will be decorated with artwork from the local community and commissions from international artists. As night falls, the Kneehigh band will strike up, an inspiring and world-class evening of Kneehigh song and story, poetry and fun will celebrate the land we live in, the people we live next door to and the power of party.
See the shortlisted entries for this region and read about the judging panel
Kneehigh is celebrated as one of Britain's most innovative theatre companies. For nearly 30 years we have created vigorous, popular and challenging theatre for audiences throughout Cornwall, the UK and beyond.
The Kneehigh Asylum will be a jaw-dropping, spirit-lifting nomadic space. It’s a flexible structure with the potential to range from a 200-seater that would be perfect for a village green or a school playing field, to a 1000-seat auditorium that could command London’s South Bank, Watergate Bay or Sydney Harbour.
This dream has heart. We want to shout to all who pass that they are welcomed. We want to create brilliant, witty and moving work and show it in the most beautiful tent in the world! We want to whoop and dance, cry and gasp, show films, art, host ear-tickling gigs, eat excellent food and drink and celebrate our delicious time on the planet.
What pleasures we will find - the limits are only as small as our imaginations!