The National Theatre of Scotland presents The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish

by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, in a new adaptation created by Lu Kemp and Abigail Docherty.

Written by Oliver Emanuel. Directed by Lu Kemp.

A National Theatre of Scotland theatre show for children touring Scotland in Spring 2013

With a Saturday Swap Shop for the family supported by Mackie’s at each venue.

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish is an interactive promenade theatre production created especially for families and schools, adapted from the cult children’s graphic book by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. Throughout the tour families will get the opportunity to take part in a Saturday Swap Shop.

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish has its Scottish premiere at The Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock with an opening performance on Saturday 27th April at 11am. The production then tours to Howden Park Centre, Livingston; Imaginate Festival 2013, Edinburgh; macrobert, Stirling; Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Eden Court Theatre, Inverness.

Cast: Laurie Brown, Veronica Leer, Anthony Strachan and Rosalind Sydney

Set Design: Laura Hopkins; Lighting Design: Simon Wilkinson; Sound Design: Daniel Krass;

Composer: MJ McCarthy

What if you wanted your best friend’s goldfish so much that you would swap anything you had for them? Anything. Absolutely anything. Even your Dad. Well that’s just what Tom does and when Mum finds out, she’s not pleased and Tom and his little sister have to ’GO GET DAD BACK’. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Nathan doesn’t have Dad any more. He swapped him for Vashti’s electric guitar. And Vashti swapped Dad, with Blinky, for a Gorilla mask. And Blinky swapped Dad, with Patti, for Galveston the rabbit. And Patti lives a very, very long way away.

Young audiences and their friends and families are invited to take part in an interactive promenade production to help Tom and his sister on their mission to get Dad back. The performance will move throughout interesting spaces in each theatre building and the audience will go on a journey with the cast, encountering surprises along the way. The Day I Swapped My Day For Two Goldfish is a theatrical adventure for children aged six to ten, which is a little bit about being a sibling and a little bit about being a genius.

On Saturdays at each venue, and in keeping with the swapping themes in the play, National Theatre of Scotland will host their own free Saturday Swap Shop event in the foyer of each venue. Children and their friends and families can bring a toy or a book to swap for other items on the swap table.

This family activity is supported by Mackie’s of Scotland. Mackie’s are coming back on board to support the National Theatre of Scotland’s work following a successful partnership with their sponsorship of the Company’s first foray into eco-friendly theatre with the tour of the Last Polar Bears. The Saturday Swap Shop is a fun and environmentally friendly way for children to recycle unwanted toys, giving them a future life in a new loving home and giving children the chance to take a home a new toy for free. As a carbon neutral company Mackie’s are the perfect partners support this free family activity that promotes sustainable consumption in a fun way.

The production is also supported by a programme of free primary school workshops, for schools booking to see the show, subject to availability. The workshops are delivered by Eilidh MacAskill and Fiona Manson, who have previously performed to great success as The Polar Bears and in The Polar Bears Go Wild! (macrobert/Fish & Game).

The first stage production the National Theatre of Scotland produced in 2006 was a musical stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s The Wolves in the Walls, directed by Vicky Featherstone. This toured with great success, over a number of years, throughout Scotland, the UK, with a run at the New Victory Theatre, New York.

Lu Kemp has created vibrant, theatrical adaptations for children and young people working with leading young playwrights in Scotland. Kemp and writer, Oliver Emanuel , created Titus, with a new translation of Jan Sobrie’s text, which toured to acclaim in Scotland, including the Imaginate Festival 2012 and dates in Austria, Sweden and Northern Ireland. Lu Kemp and Abigail Docherty created One Thousand Paper Cranes which appeared at the Imaginate Festival 2010 and was part of the Made In Scotland showcase 2011 where it won Best Scottish Contribution to Drama on the Fringe (Edinburgh Guide and Scottish Arts Club).

Individually, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean have created a phenomenal wealth of creative projects encompassing books, TV, film, comics, music and photography. They are internationally acclaimed, award-winning artists.

Together Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean have created two children’s picture books The Wolves in the Walls and The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish; two illustrated children’s novels; Coraline and The Graveyard Book. They have also co-created the celebrated series The Sandman and worked together on a short graphic novel, a comic mini-series, a TV mini-series and on the film MirrorMask, as writer and director team.

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish Tour 2013 – Suitable for ages 6 – 10

Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock from Thursday 25 – Saturday 27 April 2013

Thursday 25, 10.30am (preview), Friday 26, 10.30am (preview) & 4.30pm, Saturday 27, 11am

Saturday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 27 April from 12 to 1.45pm

Tickets: £8/£5 (preview £4) Box Office: 01475 723723 Website: www.beaconartscentre.co.uk

Howden Park Centre, Livingston from Thursday 2 – Sunday 5 May 2013

Thursday 2, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Friday 3, 2pm, Saturday 4 – Sunday 5, 11am & 2pm

Saturday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 4 May from 12 to 1.45pm

and a bonus Sunday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 5 May from 12 to 1.45pm

Tickets: £8, £5.50 (West Lothian school groups)

Box Office: 01506 777 666 Website: www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk

Imaginate Festival 2013, Edinburgh, National Museum of Scotland, Learning Centre, Level 1

Wednesday 8 – Saturday 11 May 2013

Wednesday 8 – Thursday 9, 10.30am &1.30pm, Friday 10, 10.30am, Saturday 11, 11am & 2pm

Saturday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 11 May from 12 to 1.45pm

Tickets: £10, £8 (family), £5 (schools) Traverse Theatre Box Office: 0131 228 1404 Website: www.imaginate.org.uk

Macrobert, Stirling from Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 May 2013

Wednesday 15 – Friday 17, 10.30 & 1.30, Saturday 18, 11am & 2pm

Saturday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 18 May from 12 to 1.45pm

Tickets: £7/£5.50 (friends & schools) / FAMILY PASSES: £13 (family of 2); £19 (family of 3); £25 (family of 4)

Box Office: 01786 466 666 Website: www.macrobert.org

Tron Theatre, Glasgow from Wednesday 22 – Saturday 25 May 2013

Wednesday 22 – Friday 24, 10.30 & 1.30, Saturday 25, 11am &2pm

Saturday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 25 May from 12 to 1.45pm

Tickets: £10, £7.50 Box Office: 0141 552 4267 Website: www.tron.co.uk

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness from Wednesday 29 May – Saturday 1 June 2013

Wednesday 29 – Friday 31 May, 10.30 & 1.30, Saturday 1 June, 11am & 2pm

Saturday Swap Shop: free family foyer event on 1 June from 12 to 1.45pm

Tickets: £8 /£5. Box Office: 01463 234 234 Website: www.eden-court.co.uk

Please note that this is a promenade performance which moves from space to space, within the venue. If you have any specific access requirements please contact the National Theatre of Scotland directly on 0141 221 0970 or info@nationaltheatrescotland.com

Source: NTS