New Children’s Key Word Signed Theatre Show

Castles, crows, and rowing boats. Mermaids, dragons and tiny islands surrounded by the sea… Arthur’s Club, a place where everyone is welcome, a place where stories come alive.

Arthur’s Club is a Cornish born project created by Becca, the project lead and performer. “Having been an actor for the past two decades I have always loved stories. With learning Makaton in lockdown, I saw suddenly how alive stories became when combined with signing, it was as if the stories became 3-dimensional. I also saw how my son and his cousins and friends were all engaged equally, each human being seen, valued and heard.”

Arthur’s Club is a unique venture, in that it uses key word signing woven into the storytelling throughout, so sign and spoken word are intrinsically linked. Aimed at all children aged 3-9, their grownups, and Makaton users, the show will take audiences on an adventure of imagination.

“It is important to me to develop high quality theatre, created in Cornwall, that enables all of society the opportunity to sit side by side enjoying the magic of storytelling. With this show I wanted to look at what would happen if we linked sign with the creative process from the start? Exploring ways in which sign could inform the creative decisions, ensuring that inclusion isn’t an add on but is at the core of the piece.

Inclusion needs to be a key consideration in all that we do as a society and we hope that our show is another step forward on that journey together.”

The show, Stories From The Island opens in Cornwall this August, it features original stories written especially for Arthur’s Club by a team of award winning children’s storybook authors based in Cornwall including James Henry (Hey Duggee, CBBC), Rebecca Cobb, (Missing Mummy, Aunt Amelia), Anna Wilson, (The Wide, Wide Sea), Naomi Jones, (The Perfect Fit), Anna Mansell (The Tempest, Trebah Gardens), and Craig Barr-Green, (Christmas in Cornwall).

Stories From The Island is supported by Wildworks and directed by Wildwork’s Artistic Director, Mydd Pharo. Designed by Ellie Williams, Wildworks, with original music by composer Matthew Thomason.

“I loved it all” Charlie, Age 7.

“They were both transfixed throughout” Grown up of Megan, Age 5 and Eddie, Age 3.

A number of shows are free thanks to support from Cornwall Education Library Service, Arts Council England, FEAST, and Cornwall Council Community Chest Fund. For booking details go to …