We are so excited that SPIN OUT Festival is returning this summer for more performances around our wonderful town.
SPIN OUT is our annual season of open-air performances from the most exciting performers of theatre, circus, music, and dance. All of the shows are completely free to the public, offering both residents and visitors the chance to engage with and enjoy thrilling innovative outdoor performances.
The second performance of the season is The Grimm Sisters, a fairytale journey with music, singing, and comedy.
The Grimm Sisters will be on at 11:30pm and 1pm on Saturday 16 July, at Pavilion Promenade.
You know the Brothers Grimm? The famous storytellers…or story stealers more like! Their sisters were the true brains behind the books, but thanks to a treacherous father, a nasty curse and a great big dollop of bad luck, you’ve probably never heard of them.
The Grimm Sisters are here to set the record straight. Join them on the journey as they tell their twisted tales with a marvellous mix of live music, singing and comedy. Dive headfirst into their weird world of poisonous parents, courageous quests & a magical frog called Jeremy (Jeremy is not to be trusted).
Keep your mind sharp and your guts gory, because in the blink of an eyelash, you might find yourself within the story…
Alice Higginson-Clarke, Co-Artistic Director, told us all about the upcoming performance:
How are you feeling about the upcoming performance at Worthing’s Spin Out Festival?
We’re really looking forward to coming to Worthing for the first time. The Grimm Sisters, Mitzi & Brunhilda, are terrified of birds so it will be hilarious to see how they cope with all the seagulls!
Tell us a bit about the show. Where did the idea come from? What can we expect?
We wanted to make a storytelling show with lots of short stories, so the Brothers Grimm came to mind… but as a female-led company, our shows usually flip the narrative on traditionally male stories. In these traditional tales, women often are placed in certain roles such as the evil stepmother, the princess or the wife and rarely have power or agency in the story.
So we decided to invent Brunhilda & Mitzi (fictional sisters) who are determined to share their very own tales, each of which has a leading female character who saves the day.
The ‘Ugly Sisters’ are a classic duo that everyone knows, so The Grimm Sisters is our spin on a more loveable double-act who have travelled the world together for over 200 years (due to an unfortunate curse), but they’re making the best of it by telling their tales to whoever they meet along the way.
What has the development of this piece looked like?
We made this show last year, when the whole country was still dealing with pandemic restrictions. We knew if we wanted to get back to performing live theatre, the best way would be outdoors! It’s our first outdoor show (after making 6 indoor shows since 2013) so we consulted with other experienced outdoor theatre experts in the making of it. We’re so glad to still be touring The Grimm Sisters in 2022 as it’s so nice to be outdoors in the summer months, instead of inside a dark theatre.
As a piece of family theatre, we’re passionate about making it enjoyable for everyone (adults included!). Our aim was always to make the storytelling clear enough for younger audiences but layered and engaging for adults too. We hope the stories, comedy & music transcend age and connect with everyone in the audience.
What’s your favourite part of the performance?
My favourite thing about The Grimm Sisters is that every show is different – you will never do the same show twice. Every story has elements of audience interaction so it’s completely dependent on what the audience suggests. It really keeps us on our toes as performers & makes it a really fun challenge. The audience even gets the opportunity to create their own story which the sisters must improvise on the spot. From many of the shows we’ve done, that’s often everyone’s favourite bit – audience & performers alike!
Anything else you want to share or feel is significant?
Saturday 16 July will be a super Saturday! We have two casts who tour The Grimm Sisters: a team in the South East and one in the South West. This allows The Grimm Sisters to be on the promenade in Worthing, and at the very same time, in some Cornish woods near Bodmin! Magic!
SPIN OUT is an entirely free festival, but it’s always worth booking tickets to secure your place in the audience. You don’t want to miss out! Click the name of the performance to book your tickets.
While SPIN OUT is free for you to enjoy, you can support us in other ways, from becoming a member to one-off donations. Click here to see how you can support your local arts charity, and keep the quality art and culture alive.