Theatre Hullabaloo and partners are back with their third instalment of Hullabaloo in the Park this weekend from July 26th to 28th 2024. Students from The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Acting for Stage & Screen degree programme, Chloe Rattigan, Ellie Mordue, Freya Reid, Josh Prudence, Kai Jagpal, Leigha Shadwell, LJ Watt, Macy Johnson, Molly McKean, Pierre Brown, Lionel Nossa-Yabantu and Megan Dale, have been working with the theatre company on a family-friendly interactive outdoor performance that will take place throughout the festival.

This new commission has been co-ordinated by The Northern School of Art Acting Lecturer, Jonny Bussell, and Leader of the Stage & Screen Faculty, Stuart Drummond, to give performance students an opportunity to experience creating work for family audiences and for the outdoors. During the project they have been working with professional director Stan Hodgson and actor Paddy O’Connor. This collaboration is a part of Theatre Hullabaloo’s commitment to support early career artists to develop work for young audiences and families.

Taking place from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th July, in Darlington’s beautiful South Park, the festival is an extravaganza of performances, music, dance, storytelling, play spaces, pop-up entertainment, messy play, crafts, workshops and amazing food. A summer staple for families since 2021, the festival welcomed more than 10,000 people last year. This year, the festival programme will be completely free, making it the only arts festival in England that families with young children can enjoy without paying a penny.

Hullabaloo in Wonderland

Families can see the School’s student’s perform during Hullabaloo in Wonderland, where they can meet their “favourite classic Alice in Wonderland characters, in this magical promenade performance that leads you to the maddest tea party you’ve ever been invited to! Follow the frazzled White Rabbit, be puzzled by a grinning Cheshire Cat and be wary of a very stroppy Queen of Hearts on a fun-filled walk in Wonderland suitable for the whole family.”

Speaking of the opportunity student LJ Wyatt said: “I initially got involved with the project thanks to the meeting Jonny set up with Stan. After that I took part in the auditions which was a lot of fun. We worked in groups to make short stories, performed scenes playing certain characters and just had a laugh. The rehearsals were also really enjoyable, you can tell everyone involved is really passionate about the project and enjoying themselves and I can’t wait to perform the show with an audience.”

Student Lionel Nossa-Yabantu said: “I am playing the White Rabbit. I got involved in this when Stan came into the Church Street building in Hartlepool to hold an open audition in which we played improv games, did group exercises and were given three character sheets for the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and the Caterpillar.

“After the final casting we had individual rehearsals with Stan in which we looked at the script and talked about tweaking it. We also explored different energies throughout the scene, where we would have more frantic energies or where there would be moments of stillness. At the end of the week, we had a full group run-through alongside costume fittings and after the run-through we were emailed final scripts and notes alongside details of the event such as the South Park map.”

Pierre Brown, who will be taking up the role of the Cheshire Cat commented on the opportunity to work with director Stan Hodgson: “Stan is an awesome director and he’s let me have so much freedom in the rehearsal room when it comes to creating the character. I’m also looking forward to working on the project with other year groups so it will be exciting to work together as a team!”

Student Chloe Rattigan also expressed gratitude for the Hullabaloo team reflecting, “The entire process has been fun and filled with a sense of community from the start. All the team from Hullabaloo have been incredible and so supportive in collaborating with the cast and making sure we’re prepared for everything. The whole rehearsal experience so far has been nothing but amazing and I can’t wait for the actual performance!”

Student Molly McKean continued, “The experience so far has been amazing. The cast is filled with the most talented people and the team have been incredible to work with. I’m very excited to be part of something so special with the best group of people.”

The Northern School of Art Partnership with Theatre Hullabaloo

On Monday 1st July Ben Dickenson, Chief Executive of Theatre Hullabaloo, and Andrew Craddock, Chief Executive of Darlington Building Society, gave VIP guests a sneak peek of what to expect at Hullabaloo in the Park 2024.  Faculty Leader Stuart Drummond joined the event to explain funding and supporting the festival.

Speaking on the night about the partnership Stuart said: “It is an absolute privilege to be involved with Theatre Hullaballoo again on this project and I would like to say thank you to Ben and the whole team for thinking of us and valuing the work we do. Our acting students have been loving preparing for their contribution, which is a Wonderland Walk experience.”

“As a born and bred Darlingtonian, I can appreciate first-hand the value that Theatre Hullaballoo brings to families in the town. Hullaballoo in the Park extends this valuable activity out of the theatre, giving the whole town an opportunity to celebrate the power and the joy of performing arts. This fits with the values of The Northern School of Art and the faculty of stage and screen, where inclusivity and excellence form the cornerstone of everything we do.

“By joining with organisations such as Theatre Hullaballoo, we aim to offer the opportunity for our students’ voices to be heard in the places where they grew up, by the people they grew up with. We hope to promote the idea that the arts is for everyone, and important to everyone. Hullaballoo in the Park and the wider work of Theatre Hullaballoo focuses on embedding this appreciation of the arts at a crucial time of our lives, childhood.”

Speaking of the working with our school and students Miranda Thain, Theatre Hullabaloo’s Artistic Producer said, “We’re delighted to be working with the School as part of this year’s Hullabaloo in the Park, our family festival in Darlington. It’s a real joy bringing the Wonderland characters to life in this special commission that showcases the brilliant student talent coming from our region and gives our festival audiences a fantastical walkabout theatre experience as part of this year’s programme.”

Hullabaloo in the Park is designed for children aged 0-10 and their grown-ups, and there is something for every family to love. Most of the festival activities will be drop-in, allowing families to choose their preferred activities from the ‘What’s On’ section and simply show up. Additionally, there are a few bookable workshops available, also free of charge. Find out more about Hullabaloo in the Park 2024 here.

Hullabaloo in Wonderland time & dates are below:

Dates and Times:
Friday 26 July 2024
1.45pm – 2.30pm, 2.45pm – 3.30pm, 3.45pm – 4.30pm

Saturday 27 July 2024
2.15pm – 3.00pm, 3.45pm – 4.30pm *BSL interpreted

Sunday 28 July 2024
1.45pm – 2.30pm, 2.30pm – 3.15pm, 3.45pm – 4.30pm

If you are interested in studying Acting at degree-level make sure you check out our BA (Hons) Acting for Stage & Screen programme. Our degree works with multiple partners and across courses to give our students excellent opportunities and experiences to carve out an exciting career in the stage & screen industries. Find out more here.