Little Bear's Christmas Wish: A production created in partnership with The Brook Theatre and Graversham Borough Council.
Especially for children aged
3 to 6.
Performed at St George's Arts Centre, Gravesend, DA11 0TA, UK.
Show Programme
Performer: Analise Dias
Analise Dias is a British Indian actor and musician from North-West London. She began her acting training with the National Youth Theatre of GB and moved on to graduate with a BA in English Literature and Theatre Studies from the University of Leeds and an MA in Professional Acting from Drama Studio London. Theatre credits include The Village (ensemble) at Theatre Royal Stratford East,Nana (Satin/Estelle) at The Playground Theatre, and The Final Trumpet (Daughter) at the Brady Arts Centre.
Writer, Performer: Miriam Cooper
Miriam trained at the Guildford School of Acting and her theatre work ranges from appearing at the Bristol Old Vic, playing the female lead opposite Ian Lavender in ‘The Ghost Train’ to the Young Vic, London, in Ibsen’s ‘Playing with Fire’. Numerous roles have included Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, Kate Mundy in ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ for The Dukes Lancaster, Ingrid, in Moira Buffini’s ‘Blavatsky’s Tower’, The Tobacco Factory, Bristol, Flora in ‘A Slight Ache’, ‘Sarah’ in ‘The Lover’, European Arts Company, ‘Julia Margaret Cameron’ the 19th century photographer & ‘Mary Anning’ the fossil hunter from Lyme Regis for Radio 4, ‘Sarah’ in The Two Worlds of Charlie F, UK and US tours, ‘Juliana’ & ‘Berthe’ in Hedda Gabler at The National Theatre, ‘Janet Mackenzie’ in Witness for The Prosecution’ at County Hall London, A Galway Girl’ and ‘Melody’ for Medway Fuse Festival and even ‘Silvery Sally’ a female wizard for Play On Words’ Channel Islands T.I.E. tours!She has co-written all and performed in some of the critically acclaimed children’s Christmas shows since 2010 at The Brook Theatre, Chatham. Her own show ‘Prostitutes Marry in May’ UK and Irish tour ending in Waterloo East Theatre, London, where she received a nomination in the ‘off West-End’ theatre awards for best female performance.She is a Co-Director of Play On Words Theatre and is a part lecturer in Drama and Performing Arts at Canterbury Christ Church University. www.miriamcooper.co.uk
Performer: Jamie Zubairi
Jamie Zubairi is an Anglo-Malay actor and artist who lived in Malaysia when he was young; and his one wish was to see snow. He never gave up and finally saw snow when he was 12!
He's known for playing Inspector Chen in BBC Radio 4 series Inspector Chen Mysteries, and the feature film TIDES (Open Palm Prods). He has appeared on Eastenders, Grange Hill, Silent Witness and as a gynaecologist in Holby City (BBC).
In theatre he has played in The Nightingale (New Earth Theatre), The Letter (Wyndhams), Witness For The Prosecution (County Hall), Parliament Square (The Bush/Royal Exchange), Guy Fawkes (York Theatre Royal), Beauty Sleeps (Young Vic), among other things. He will be appearing in My Neighbour Totoro in 2025.
Director: Aidan Dooley
Aidan is from Galway, West of Ireland. He trained at Guilford School of Acting and works as a freelance actor, writer and director in London.Highlights of his theatrical career include: ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’ – Wyndhams Theatre London. ‘Elegies for Angels’ – Criterion Theatre London. ‘DA’ – White Bear Theatre London. ‘Players and Painted Stage’, ‘Last Apache Reunion’ – SOS Theatre Bristol. National tours of ‘Julius Caesar’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ ,‘Tales of the Lost Formicans’ – Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company. Galway Girl and Melody in the UK Fuse Festival. ‘Crossed Keys’– Eastern Angles Theatre Company, ‘Beyond the Brooklyn Sky’ – Red Kettle Theatre and ‘Translations’ – National Theatre, London. He has directed two of our previous Christmas shows here at The brook – The Smallest House Mouse and The Christmas Cat & The Christmas Adventures of Archie The Mouse.He has performed his hugely successful solo show ‘Tom Crean - Antarctic Explorer’ (the stories of Scott and Shackleton through this ordinary man’s eyes) over the past twenty years, winning awards the prestigious Fringe First at Edinburgh. Now toured worldwide with over 1500 performances – www.tomcreanshow.comHe is the Co - Artistic Director of Play On Words Theatre Co. and works on theatre projects with Youth Theatres and young peoples drama projects all over the UK. He has been an Associate Lecturer in Drama at Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent since 2006. www.aidandooley.co.ukDesigner: James Frost
James Frost is a freelance artist, curator, theatre designer and puppeteer. He works to commission in set design, prop, puppet and mask making. He performs his own outdoor puppet shows as Theatre of the Small and explores folk drama and seasonal customs with the Canterbury Hoodeners. His exhibition ‘Animal Guising and the Kentish Hooden Horse’ will be at Maidstone Museum 8 Feb - 17 Jun 2023. James teaches modules in theatre design and cultural studies at Canterbury Christ Church University and is a visiting lecturer in design at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Birmingham City University. He is co-founder of the community group Bringing Alive Sandwich Heritage and trustee of the arts charity In A Space.https://www.jamesedwardfrost.
Photo credit: Caroline Dyal
Design Assistant: Christina Welch
A Canterbury Christ Church University alumni of the Musical Theatre Ba (Hons) Degree. Christina Welch is a recent graduate whose skills range between technical design, operation and costume design, to performing and directing. Recently starring as Toad in the Wind in the Willows (Anselm Theatre, 2024).
Composer: Phil Hornsey
Music Composer: Phil HornseyPhil is a musical director, choir master, educator and composer.His work as a musical director has taken him around the country (and beyond) on musicals and pantomimes. He won Showtime on Sunday's Music Score of the Season award for his work on Peter Pan at the Sheffield Lyceum in 2018.Previous compositions include Christmas oratorio Prepare The Way and children's musical One, Two, Three Little Pigs.
Lighting Designer: Josh How
Josh How has a background in Technical Theatre. He honed his skills as a swing stage technician on The Lion King in the West End and served as Chief Technician at the Quarterhouse, Folkestone. A CCCU alumni, Josh now shares his industry expertise with the next generation of theatre professionals as a Technical Instructor at CCCU. Since being there he has designed lighting for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Assassins and Wind in the Willows.
A huge thank you to Mandy Hare and all her team at St George's Arts Centre!
Social Media Manager: Becca Townsley
Becca (nee Rebecca Thompson) manages the social media and online content of Play On Words alongside her freelance career as a holsitic dance artist and movement facilitator. Previously having performed the dancing roles in several Christmas shows: The Timid Hedgehog and the Forgotten Christmas Forest (2015) and The Smallest House Mouse and The Christmas Cat (2016). Becca is currently studying the MA Dance: Participation, Community and Activism at The Place: London School of Contemporary Dance School.
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We hope this is the beginning of returning our tradition of the Christmas show.
From all of us from the show, we want to say,
A big thank you to you and all the children for coming to see our show, and save Christmas!
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