The Shivers, by emma + pj

A twisty-turny thriller for young audiences, about spies, lies and learning to trust your gut

A fox, a pigeon, and a secret agent are on a mission to save the world, but everything is not what it seems. The evil Miss Information and her deadly sleepy agents are on the attack, and now all the colours are wrong, and all the sounds are upside down. When true is false and real is fake, will our superheroes be able to untangle the lies and figure out who to trust?

Featuring ingenious live video, explosive dance moves, and a cast of unforgettable characters, The Shivers is a pulsating adventure about learning to trust your instincts when something doesn’t feel right… when it gives you the shivers. 

This high-octane action-comedy opens the door for grown-ups and children to talk about misinformation, fake news, and keeping safe online.

Post-show conversation

“What’s the last thing you saw online that made you question whether it was true or not?”

Join The Shivers company and The Nutshell after the show, as we open a conversation between you and your young person(s) reflecting on what they’ve just seen. At The Nutshell, we believe that theatre is the start of a great conversation, and engagement doesn’t, and shouldn’t end once the production is finished. Our friends from The Shivers are going to stick around and answer questions from the audience, and importantly, ask some questions in return.

After the show is over, there’ll be a 5-minute break for the company, before they join us back in the theatre for a group conversation.

This will be a relaxed session exploring the key themes of the show, and what resonated for you as audiences. Families are free to come and go as they please.

Details: 3pm to 3:20pm, Free to ticketholders

Created by acclaimed duo emma + pj and developed through workshops with local children and teachers in the London Borough of Camden.

You can download our Creativity Pack here to access creative activities and prompts for young people inspired by the show. The resource was developed by Peter Laycock (Creative Peter) in collaboration with emma + pj.

Not Now, Bernard: intergenerational Workshop

Join Roustabout for a joyful, playful one-hour workshop inspired by Not Now, Bernard. Through drama games, storytelling and imaginative activities, children and their invited adults will work together, communicate, create and – most importantly – have fun.

No acting experience is needed. Just bring your imagination and a willingness to join in! These workshops run pre-show so why not join us for the workshop and performance straight after?!

Led by a member of the Roustabout team, the workshop is designed to be welcoming and inclusive, giving children and adults the chance to discover the joy of playing together in a relaxed, supportive environment. 

Not Now, Bernard

Bernard’s got a problem but his mum and dad are too busy to notice – David McKee’s much-loved story about being heard, with integrated Makaton, brought to the stage by Roustabout Theatre (Dinosaurs & All That Rubbish, Little Red Riding Could, Luna) for ages 3-8 and their families.

‘There’s a monster in the garden and it’s going to eat me.’

What happens when nobody listens?

David McKee’s wickedly funny story roars on to the stage in Roustabout Theatre’s fantastical and colourful adaptation of this classic and much-loved picture book. Through physical comedy, a live soundtrack performed on instruments and household objects, and an ENORMOUS purple monster, this show explores big themes of attention, imagination, and being heard, offering lots to talk about for both children and adults.

Fancy joining us for a pre-show intergenerational workshop? CLICK HERE

With integrated Makaton, this accessible production is suitable for everyone aged 3+.

Supported by Arts Council England, the egg, and Front Room Theatre.

Not Now Bernard © David McKee 1980, published by Andersen Press Ltd

Created by Roustabout Theatre, based on the book by David McKee.

Flotsam

Half Moon Presents Flotsam an OperaUpClose production for ages 2-5 based on the picture book by David Wiesner.

When a curious child discovers a mysterious camera washed up on the beach, the photos inside reveal a chain of children linked across time and space and an extraordinary underwater world.

Turtles carry cities, starfish dance, octopi read by lamplight – but who took the pictures and where will the camera travel next?

Kerry Andrew’s luminous new score and text blends music, movement and storytelling to explore curiosity, connection and the boundless power of imagination – a spellbinding adventure for audiences of all ages.

Building on OperaUpClose’s reputation for creating “spell-binding, magical, inventive theatre” (A View from Behind the Arras) for children and their parents, Flotsam brings David Wiesner’s much-loved picture book to life.

Bones in the Desert

Half Moon presents BONES IN THE DESERT by Joe Nerssessian for ages 13+ and adults: an urgent new play about memory, belonging and the shadows of war.

Two lives. One past. A hundred years apart. A story that refuses to stay buried.

Berlin, 2022. Artur, a 19-year-old refugee, is stuck in a city that doesn’t feel like home - caught between worlds, between roles and haunted by the ghosts of his escape from the Syrian civil war.

When someone from that journey suddenly reappears, what begins as a joyful reunion soon becomes a reckoning with identity, memory and the question of how to be free.

From the deserts of 1915 to the chaos of today, Bones in the Desert traces the long shadows of war and the lives it still shapes. With raw honesty and urgency, it confronts mental well-being, racism in contemporary Europe and the devastating cost of silence.

Written by British-Armenian playwright Joe Nerssessian, this powerful new play speaks directly to young adult audiences with heart, humour and an unflinching gaze. It’s about where we come from, who we carry with us and what it means to belong.

Presented in an immersive style with a pulsating contemporary soundtrack, Bones in the Desert is the latest production from Half Moon, the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company.

Thematic content warnings:

This production explores difficult historical and contemporary themes unflinchingly. It contains graphic descriptions of violence, including sexual assault, hate speech, historical accounts of mass atrocities and frank depictions of contemporary sectarian conflict.

Language guidance:

References to suicide, misogyny and associated sexual violence, overt racism and poor mental health.

Technical content warnings:

This is an immersive theatre experience where the audience stands and moves around in close proximity to other audience members and the actors. At times, the soundtrack will be loud and reflect sounds and noises depicting violence, protest and discrimination. Bones in the Desert is an immersive production. There is no assigned seating and audiences remain standing throughout the performance.