First ever international tour is major success

Shakespeare 4 Kidz – the theatre company that creates musical adaptations of the Bard’s classic plays – has just returned from a “triumphant” tour to the United Arab Emirates.

The company’s twelve performances of Shakespeare 4 Kidz A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the brand new Centrepoint Theatre in Dubai and the Qanat al Qasba in Sharjah played to sell-out audiences at both venues, breaking both theatres' attendance records and receiving standing ovations at every performance.

“The audience reaction and feedback has finally proved to us that the S4K success story can continue on the international stage,” said Producer and Director Julian Chenery, who is the creative vision behind the company’s work. “We have worked for over ten years to demystify the work of the Bard for children and young people and we are absolutely delighted that the response to the S4K musicals is as good if not better overseas as it is in the UK.”

Gulf International Promotions Director Rania Ashur, who brought the acclaimed UK theatre company to the UAE added “We knew Shakespeare 4 Kidz were a world-class company and we are absolutely delighted with the work both in the theatre and in the education workshops. Some of our audience have said that Shakespeare 4 Kidz A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the best show ever to have been brought to Dubai.”

The company were featured on five TV stations including Dubai One, Good Morning Dubai and Ejunior. The press reviews were equally impressed: “It’s a riot!” proclaimed Gulf News; “As the superb cast took their bows, the theatre exploded into screams of appreciation, once more revealing Shakespeare's legacy has plenty of life in it yet.”

Time Out Dubai said “You can now understand what all the fuss over Shakespeare’s about.”

Typical of local schools’ feedback was this from a Drama teacher at a UAE International School:
“I would like to say a huge THANK YOU for the yesterday’s workshop and the performance of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Our children enjoyed it enormously and it will help us to build enthusiasm for Drama and performance participation as well as sound knowledge of Shakespeare. As their Drama teacher, I was delighted to see them so involved and I am looking forward to the equally successful events in the future. For many children it was their first encounter with Shakespeare and some of them have never been to theatre before. I am sure the experience will contribute to creating theatre culture in school and help to shape their lives and develop their passions for the live theatre.”

The British Council representative in Dubai visited the show and was delighted with the response from the thousands of schoolchildren and family members who attended.

GIP’s Rania Ashur is vowing to bring the company back to the UAE and neighbouring Gulf states in the spring of 2008 and there are further plans to continue the tour of both S4K Hamlet and S4K The Tempest to India and South Africa. “The recent Shakespeare 4 Kidz tour to Dubai and Sharjah can only be described as ‘triumphant’!” she said. “Shakespeare 4 Kidz are pure, theatrical magic!”.

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