Land of the Big Word Factory
‘Land of the Big Word Factory’ is an English adaptation of the album “La grande fabrique de mots” written by Agnes de Lestrade and illustrated by Valeria Docampo. The production is aimed at children 4 to 8 years but has been enjoyed by older children and also by adults. It was commissioned by the Ziguzajg Arts Festival for Children and Young People 2017 and repeated as part of Nuna Palk at Teatru Salesjan in May 2018.
‘Land of the Big Word Factory’ is a story set in a place where people cannot speak words before they buy them and eat them. All words are produced in a huge word factory. So in this place, if you are rich, you can speak as often as you like but poor people cannot afford to buy many words and can only use more common, rejected or obsolete words to communicate whatever they would like to express. A young boy, Phileas, secretly loves Cybele, but, being poor, he cannot ever hope to buy the words to tell her how he feels. Will he ever manage to find the right words and win her love?
The tale is told through the use of puppets and projections, with innovative use of interaction between puppets and actors.
‘Land of the Big Word Factory’ was adapted and performed by Liliana Portelli, Pierre Stafrace, Charlotte Grech and Paula Fleri Soler with direction by Chris Gatt. Puppets by Pierre Stafrace and Liliana Portelli. Original music composed and played live by Jes Psaila.
These are some comments posted by members of our audience:
‘I have to commend everyone behind this amazing piece of art. We could have easily been in Edinburgh is what my English guests had to say – world class in every sense!’
‘Incredible experience! We loved every minute and our 5 year old almost cried when it was over! He was enjoying it so much!
‘Would watch the performance over and over again. Simply delightful’
‘A mesmerising, moving gem of a production. Sadly today is the last performance — one would wish such moments of sheer beauty could last for a very long time’.
