Lecce: from 28 December to 6 January “Kids. Festival of theater and arts for the new generations” celebrates its tenth edition

Lecce: from 28 December to 6 January “Kids. Festival of theater and arts for the new generations” celebrates its tenth edition.

From Thursday 28 December to Saturday 6 January in Lecce (info, program and tickets kidsfestival.it) the appointment with KIDS is renewed. The tenth edition of Theater and arts festival for the new generations returns this year to the theme “Let the party begin“. Eleven places in the Salento capital (Teatro Apollo, Teatro Paisiello, Manifatture Knos, Railway Museum of Puglia, Castello Carlo V, Agostiniani Complex, Convitto Palmieri, Nasca il Teatro, L'Acchiappalibri, Tagghiate Urban Factory, Teatro Koreja) will host over twenty foreign, Italian and Apulian companies for almost eighty performances of shows for very small, small and large spectators, including theatre, dance, circus, narration and innovative languages ​​of the contemporary scene, two focuses dedicated to the Apulian residence center Trac and to the director and playwright Fabrizio Pallara, it's a “village” with meetings, workshops, performances and training activities. Also unmissable is theOperation Robin Hood, the suspended ticket that makes Kids even more inclusive, and the workshop for small theater critics. The Kids festival is conceived and organized by Factory Compagnia Transadriatica and Active Principle theatre with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Puglia Region, Municipality of Lecce, Teatro Pubblico Pugliese, Trac – Theaters of artistic residence, Futuro Presente, Fondazione Nuovi macenati in collaboration with Biblio-Museum Centre of Lecce, Assitej Italia, Chain Reaction, BlaBlaBla, the libraries L'AcchiappaLibri and OgniBene, CPK Lecce, Manifatture Knos and Cirknos.

«This year we celebrate ten years of Kids, the theater and arts festival for the new generations – declares the Councilor for Culture Fabiana Cicirillo - which is long awaited by the families of Lecce and the surrounding area and which characterizes one of the flagship events of the Municipality's Christmas programme. A festival that is carefully organized every year by the companies Factory and Principio Attivo and which always aims to raise the bar of proposals by involving many places and public assets in the city. Furthermore, with the Kids Village set up this time at Acchiappalibri, we are linking Kids to the community library created to accompany boys and girls of school age, confirming the attention paid to training a new audience".

Thursday 28 December the first very rich day will end at 20pm at the Apollo Theater with Kids Chorus Band, an unprecedented concert party to celebrate ten years of kids and the child that is in each of us through a journey through the songs of the past and of today. A special project curated by Rachele Andrioli with acrobats from the Cirknos school and other artists. Already at 10 in the library Book Catcher the many activities of the Kids Village will begin, a multitude of different perspectives on the world of childhood, organized by BlaBlaBla in collaboration with Lactic Ferments, Zero Meccanico, Spazio Natura, Tribù Digitale, Tina Aretano, Maria Rosaria De Benedittis, Raparossa, WWF Salento, Cirknos. Until Saturday 30th and from Tuesday 2nd to Friday 5th (info 3207087223), Kids Village will be a meeting space, open to girls and boys, to ideas, visions and projects, starting from the diversified experiences of all the guests who live in this village creative. At 10am and 30pm (double repeat also on Friday 17th) at the Knos Manifatture the Dutch company Mime Wave Home will propose (for everyone aged 2 and above) a captivating story with animated paintings and music. The show is inspired by the director's true story Anastasiia Liubchenko who left his home in Ukraine to find a new one in the Netherlands. At 10am and 45am on the historic trains of Railway Museum of Puglia the unmissable appointment with Traveling with stories begins, a small storytelling festival for children (also scheduled for Sunday 31st and Wednesday 3rd and Friday 5th). To welcome the spectators, a clown stationmaster and his ever-present assistant and three carriages ready to transform into theaters and extraordinary scenarios for each story. The first trip will propose “The pomegranate seed"With Nunzia Antonino edited by Carlo Bruni, "Little Women” by and with AAngela De Gaetano, "Story of a snail"With Maria Tucci. At 17 pm at the Paisiello Theater the TRG Foundation of Turin will be “Traveling with the Little Prince” directed by Luigina Dagostino with Claudio Dughera, Claudia Martore, Michele Puleio (from 5 years old – repeated on Friday 29th at 17pm). The intense characters of the long-seller by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry they stage love, friendship and the paradox in which adults live. At 18.30 pm, before closing at the Apollo, the Knos Manifatture will welcome VU of the French Compagnie Sacékripa with Etienne Manceau (for everyone aged 7 and over – repeat on Friday 29th at 18pm and 30pm). Halfway between the theater of objects, the miniature circus and an involuntary clown, this solo manipulator of everyday objects sees a meticulous and delicate protagonist on stage; an irascible and extremely well-groomed man.

Friday 29 December we start at 10am in the library Book Catcher with the many activities of the Kids Village, a multitude of different perspectives on the world of childhood, curated by BlaBlaBla in collaboration with many realities. At 10am and 12pm in the park Tag Urban Factory the French choreographer David Roland proposes "Women moi la main”, a participatory show in which the audience, between games and dance, will be guided by a soundtrack played on headphones (for everyone aged 8 and over - also repeated on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st). At 10am and 30pm Knos Manufactures the Dutch company Mime Wave with the last two reruns of Home (for everyone from 2 years old) a captivating story with animated paintings and music. The show is inspired by the director's true story Anastasiia Liubchenko who left his home in Ukraine to find a new one in the Netherlands. At 11am, 30pm and 17pm in the rooms of Castle Charles V the Brescian company Teatro Telaio with Arcipelago (for everyone from 5 years old - also repeated on Saturday 30th), a theatrical installation acted out and brought to life by the children themselves who are immersed in a symbolic context in which they can recognize some metaphors within which to orient themselves. At 17pm on stage of the Paisiello Theater the TRG Foundation of Turin will be againTraveling with the Little Prince” directed by Luigina Dagostino (from 5 years). At 17pm in the Augustinian Church, Solares Fondazione delle Arti – Teatro delle Briciole and Caracò will stage Distances with Fabrizio Campo directed by Riccardo Lanzarone (for everyone aged 5 and over – repeat on Saturday 30th at 17pm). Distances starts from an investigation of the different, of those who in the eyes of the world appear strange and out of time. At 18 pm in the Convitto Palmieri, for the focus organized by the Apulian residence center Trac, the author and actress Elisabetta Aloia offers Evelina comes from the sea (for everyone aged 7 and over). A journey of self-discovery. An original story, a sort of fairy tale about becoming aware of one's own value and accepting the uniqueness of each of us in a reality that wants us all to be the same, pigeonholed into very specific patterns that are difficult to break down. At 18.30pm and 20pm the Knos Manifatture will welcome VU of the French Compagnie Sacékripa with Etienne Manceau (for everyone aged 7 and over). Halfway between the theater of objects, the miniature circus and an involuntary clown, this solo manipulator of everyday objects sees a meticulous and delicate protagonist on stage; an irascible and extremely well-groomed man.

On Saturday 30 December the third day will open at 10am in the Acchiappalibri library with the workshops of Kids Village, a multitude of different perspectives on the world of childhood, curated by BlaBlaBla in collaboration with many realities. At 10am, for the focus organized by the Apulian residence center Trac, the Fika Company of Florence it will be in the al Palmieri boarding school with the dance of Habitat Kids (from 3 to 8 years). Two characters inhabit a fantastic space made of shapes, lights and colours. Moving in this dreamlike place evokes images, stories and games in which children and families can give shape to their fantasies. At 10am and 12pm in the park Tag Urban Factory the French choreographer David Roland with "Women moi la main“, a participatory show in which the audience, between games and dance, will be guided by a soundtrack played on headphones (for everyone aged 8 and above). At 11am, 30pm and 17pm in the rooms of Castle Charles V the Brescia company Loom Theater with Archipelago (for everyone aged 5 and above), a theatrical installation acted out and brought to life by the children themselves who are immersed in a symbolic context in which they can recognize some metaphors within which to orient themselves. At 17pm in the Augustinian Church, Solares Foundation of the Arts – Teatro delle Briciole and Caracò with Distances with Fabrizio Campo directed by Riccardo Lanzarone (for everyone aged 5 and over). At 18pm in the Convitto Palmieri the Teatro Viola in Rome with The Spirit of Christmas (for everyone aged 30 and over - repeat on Sunday 8st at 31am). The show, freely inspired by “Christmas Carol” di Charles Dickens with Federica Migliotti and Fabio Pappacena for the dramaturgy and direction of Paolo Civati, it is a timeless story that talks about Christmas, at all ages, and makes us reflect on the always open possibility of being able to change, of being able to fix mistakes, of being generous and in solidarity with others. Finally, at 20 pm, on the stage of the Paisiello Theater the company La luna nelletto of Ruvo di Puglia with Good|Bad (for everyone aged 8 and over – repeat on Sunday 31st at 11am). Michelangelo Campanale's show freely based on “Story of a naughty child. Story of a good child" by Mark Twain, features the actor on stage Ippolito Chiarello.

Sunday 31 December while waiting for the new year we start at 10 and 12 in the Tagghiate Urban Factory park with the latest reruns of "Women moi la main” by the French choreographer David Roland, a participatory show in which the audience, between games and dance, will be guided by a soundtrack played on headphones (for everyone aged 8 and above). At 10 and 45 on the historic trains of the Puglia Railway Museum, second morning with the inevitable appointment Traveling with stories, small storytelling festival for children (also scheduled for Wednesday 3rd and Friday 5th). To welcome the spectators, a clown stationmaster and his ever-present assistant and three carriages ready to transform into theaters and extraordinary scenarios for each story. This second trip will also offer “The pomegranate seed” with Nunzia Antonino edited by Carlo Bruni, “Little Women" by and with Angela De Gaetano, “Story of a snail” with Maria Tucci. At 11 on the stage of the Paisiello Theater the company La luna nelletto of Ruvo di Puglia with Buoni|Cattivi (for everyone from 8 years old) by Michelangelo Campanale with Ippolito Chiarello. Also at 11am at the Convitto Palmieri the Teatro Viola in Rome with The Spirit of Christmas (for everyone aged 8 and above). The show, freely inspired by “Christmas Carol"of Charles Dickens with Federica Migliotti e Fabio Pappacena for the dramaturgy and direction of Paolo Civati, it is a timeless story that talks about Christmas, at all ages, and makes us reflect on the possibility, always open, of being able to change, of being able to remedy mistakes, of being generous and in solidarity with the others.

After a break on New Year's Day, Kids will resume from Tuesday 2nd to Saturday 6th January. The Compagnie de la liberté of French mime is on stage Julien Cottereau, considered the heir of Marcel Marceau, with Imagine you! (Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd at 21pm at the Apollo Theater) and À fleur de mots (Wednesday 3rd at 11am at the Koreja Theatre), the actor and shadow theater for 25 spectators with a repeat performance of Inside the Spaniards' Tana Farrés Brothers (Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd at 17pm, 18pm and 19pm in the Augustinian Church), Ma solitud with the small circus of Guillem Alba (Wednesday 3rd at 19pm and Thursday 4th at 18pm and 20pm at Manifatture Knos), the Company Dimitri/Canessa and the association Pilar Ternera of Livorno with The Happy Bear (Thursday 4th and Friday 5th at 17pm at the Koreja Theatre), the Zebra Cultural Association of Verona with Miss Lala's dance at the Circo Fernando with Marigia Maggipinto, historical interpreter of Tanztheater Wuppertal, reality founded by Pina Bausch (Thursday 4th at 17pm, 18pm and 19pm and Friday 5th at 16pm, 17pm and 18pm at Convitto Palmieri), the Teatro Le Giravolte with Zio Mondo by Francesco Ferramosca (Thursday 4th at 19pm at Manifatture Knos), Meraki Teatro di Genova with The flight or Mrs. Ida at the bus stop (Friday 5 January at 17pm and Saturday 6th at 11am at Manifatture Knos).

A Focus will be dedicated to the theater of ideas of the director and playwright Fabrizio Pallara which, for more than twenty years, with the Teatro delle Apparitions company has been offering performances tout public. So meet up with them Tabletop fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Teapot and the Ugly Duckling), played by Desy Gialuz (Wednesday 3rd at 16pm and 30pm and Thursday 18th at 4am and 10pm from Nasca – The theatre), Kafka and the traveling doll (Friday 5 January at 20pm and Saturday 30 January at 6pm at the Paisiello Theatre), a contribution to the narratives of Traveling with stories and a meeting at the Nasca Theater (Thursday 4th at 11.30am), an opportunity to think about the forms and languages ​​that allow us to speak to the new generations, and to the adults around them.

The two home companies will present some new features: Factory Transadriatica Company will propose Piccolo sushi, co-produced with Fondazione Sipario Toscana, by Tonio De Nitto with Michela Marrazzi and his marionette (Tuesday 2nd at 18pm and Wednesday 3rd at 17pm at Manifatture Knos) while Principio Attivo Teatro will be on stage with Peter's Tale who discovered the weight of the shadow with Silvio Gioia and the direction of Joseph Semeraro (Friday 5th at 18pm and Saturday 30th at 6pm at Manifatture Knos). From the 18nd to the 2th, the Pedal Mobile Home also returns to the Convitto Palmieri with many performances, a small poetic journey where things of Active Principle happen Theater with Cristina Mileti and Francesca Randazzo.

In the library Book Catcher the many activities continue until Friday 5th Kids Village, a multitude of different perspectives on the world of childhood, edited by Blah Blah Blah, while the circus arts laboratory continues at the Knos Manifatture. Wednesday 3rd and Friday 5th at 10am and 45am on the historic trains of Railway Museum of Puglia the unmissable appointment with Traveling with stories, a small storytelling festival for children, ends. To welcome the spectators, a clown stationmaster and his ever-present assistant and three carriages ready to transform into theaters and extraordinary scenarios for each story. On stage Suddenly with Fabrizio Pallara (only the 3rd), The Selfish Giant with Francesco Stefanizzi and The Nightingale with Daria Paoletta (3 and 5) and The stories of Uncle Zachi with Renato Grilli (only the 5th). Kids, as part of the project Chain Reaction, will also host moments of exchange and meeting such as the Pasta Madre masterclasses. The Knos Manifatture will host an exhibition of the illustrations created for each edition of the festival by the artist Ilaria Guarducci and a selection of the most beautiful moments of these ten years through the gaze of the official photographers Eliana Manca and Giovanni William Palmisano. Grand finale on Saturday 6 January at 19pm at Manifatture Knos with Circus cabaret organized by CirKnos – Circus School in collaboration with Tau Companies and Los Filonautas Company.