Author Archives: Alison Riddiford

About Alison Riddiford

Owner of AliCaT

2025 Free Trials Available for September

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B U I L D I N G  C O N F I D E N C E

We are a performance based theatre company for students aged 7 – 13 years (year groups 3 – 8).  All our classes run in term time only, Tuesday to Friday (4.30pm-6.30pm) from our lovely intimate theatre in Backwell, Mariner’s Drive, BS48 3HT.

Please see below for details of what we offer:

 

W H A T  W E  D O 

Our main focus is on building confidence in every student.  We do this through introducing: 

  • basic stage craft
  • text interpretation and presentation
  • theatre terminology and documentation
  • teamwork building
  • leadership skills
  • movement and choreography
  • singing and rhythms
  • storytelling skills and transitions
  • Performance experience

Our philosophy is fundamentally based on the Reggio Emilia approach to learning and developing where focus is on the individual student and supporting their personal journey.

G E T  I N  C O N T A C T  F O R  A  F R E E  T R I A L 

2023 Romeo & Juliet

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Shakespeare at Backwell Playhouse

 Tickets now available! (click the poster)
The AliCaT seniors will deliver the goods once again with Shakespeare’s classic tale of sweet forbidden love – Romeo & Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet and all the cast, are excellent talents in the local theatre scene, all having handled their roles with aplomb; the setting is black-box, modern day and introduces Romeo and Juliet as contemporary teenagers.

One of the marks of a good production of Romeo and Juliet are the characters of Mercutio, Friar Laurence, Tybalt, the Lords and Ladies, and Juliet’s nurse’s, all in there own way bringing a good dose of humour and life to the stage every time they appear.

The low-key modern set will be bathed in subtle performances from all characters associated with the two households of the Montagues and the Capulets.

These young students are always exciting to watch, and Romeo and Juliet is brought to life in their hands. Come with your partner, your family, or even by yourself, and by the end of the night, you will definitely enjoy yourself. AliCaT Children and Theatre

2015 Eddie the Penguin

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This is the story of ‘Eddie the Penguin Saves the World’. An environmental musical for children aged 4-8 years, written by Niki Davies, performed by AliCaT Children and Theatre 2015.

AliCaT Children and Theatre uses the theatre setting to nurture a learning environment that is safe to explore common themes or issues, develop interpersonal skills and support growth and connection in a creative way.

This story is the perfect backdrop to teach children about environmental issues occurring around the world. The play takes Eddie and his family of Penguins on adventures where they discover problems to solve from the pollution of our cities, excess energy used, the cause and effect of the chopping down of trees to landfill sites that are full and very very smelly!

On their journey they meet Polar Bears that are fed up with the situation, humans that are unaware of the effects of nasty pollution and energy wasting and finally a Prime Minister that is happy to support a clean up of the cities!

This story is an excellent resource to go on to develop extension activities that can really cement a child’s understanding of their responsibilities in this wonderful world we live in…

For further information on this production or an interest in supporting children’s learning, please contact Ali on ali@alicat.me

 

2020 Are you sitting comfortably?

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PRE SCHOOL STORYTIME…For 3-4 year old children

AliCaT Storytime is an interactive storytime created for children aged 3-4 years old…

Welcome to AliCaT Storytime, an interactive learning experience for pre school aged children. Dive into this delightful world of fun where the Penguins, leap, and slide and whizz through their day with all their Penguin playmates. Watch how the Penguins try to cheer up a sobbing baby seal pup that has lost his mummy and finally end their days all huddled and cuddled safely together.

 

2020 EDDIE THE PENQUIN SAVES THE WORLD

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EDDIE THE PENGUIN SAVES THE WORLD

Eddie the Penguin and his family travel around the world helping everyone with their environmental issues.  He finally arrives home knowing they have done their best to educate the world in making it a clean, sustainable, safe and friendly place to live. Well done Eddie and the Penguins!

For tickets, email tickets@alicat.me or contact us 

2019 The King’s Men

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A Senior Production, ‘The King’s Men’ at Backwell Playhouse on Saturday 13 July 2019 @ 7.30pm and Sunday 14 July @ 7.30pm.

A story about theatre.  It follows a troupe of actors ‘The King’s Men’ through the ages. We discover how theatre has evolved from Primitive theatre to Renaissance and how we see the modern theatre of today… come along to learn the influences, the cultures and the changes in different countries that have evolved over the decades…

2019 What’s on in June

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‘THE KEY MASTER’ a Junior AliCaT Production

“Oh no! Not another supply teacher!”  say the children.  But their lesson is far from boring, as their history teacher transforms into the quirky Keymaster and takes them on a colourful journey through time.  When they finally get the key to the future, they are alarmed.  They see for themselves that today is tomorrow’s history, and realise that things need to change!

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE, JUST CLICK ON THE POSTER!

 

2018 ‘Through the Looking Glass’

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Good luck to the Senior Classes for this weekend for their end of year productions of ‘Through the Looking Glass’ (Adapted by James DeVita, Music and Lyrics by Bill Francoeur, Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.)

Saturday 14th July and Sunday 15th July, 7.30pm at Backwell Playhouse.  Tickets are available from our box office, contact us for more information.

An AliCaT Senior Production at Backwell Playhouse

2018 The Blue Bottle

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‘The Blue Bottle’ – A Junior Production, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June 2018

This years Junior Production is called ‘The Blue Bottle’ and it is to be performed in June 2018.  The story is loosely based on an Irish folk tale.  It’s a magical story about luck, greed and folly.  To order your tickets please click on the poster below and it will take you to the contacts page.

Thank you for your support! Ali x

2011 What a Knight (sun)

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AliCaT production What a Knight (Sun)

What a Knight (2011):

When young squire Watt Cobblers is expelled from Knight School, he reluctantly becomes Merlin’s new apprentice. But trouble is never far away, and soon Camelot Castle collapses into chaos. Merlin has lost Excalibur, King Arthur’s daughters have been kidnapped and his brave knights have turned into chickens. Watt and his new found friends Dusty Dragon and wayward Princess Alice set off on the biggest quest of their lives.