Aim: You can make anything out of toilet roll tubes and empty Listerine bottle ... like puppets!

Who we are ...

We are a group of students who are involved with the University of Manchester Drama Society. We are passionate about defying the norms of "theatre" practice and creating experimental yet also accessible theatre. We hope that our vision of imagination and adventure will inspire others to be creative themselves.

We are a group of current undergraduate students at The University of Manchester. The Drama Society have helped us to organise getting up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Our team:

• Cara Looij: Writer/Director
• Anya Ryan: Actor (as Violet)
• Bradley White: Actor (as Charles)
• Dee Dixon: Actor (as Eli)
• Emily Brocklehurst: Actor (as Janette)
• Grace Currie: Assistant Director
• Izzy Lewis: Producer

Background

Cloud Avenue was written and performed for the first time at the beginning of this year. At the time the script was a work in progress but we now have the opportunity to take the production in its complete form to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The play draws on various forms of puppetry and projection in its vivid telling of a young girl's adventurous upbringing. The puppets and set are almost entirely handmade and a large portion of the materials that have been used so far are recycled.

Plot summary

The story is centred around the memories and imagination of Violet. She has been able to travel back in time since she was very young and now uses her gift to relay with accuracy her various adventures on which she embarked as a child when she travelled the world with her parents. Upon stumbling in to the world of her dreams and emotions, Violet finds herself lost in the past. How far will her relationship with the past jeopardise her future?

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

• Our puppets are hand made, mostly from recycled materials. However the tools and finishes (paint etc.) are a little on the pricey side. This is where the majority of the funds that we raise will go.
• Much of the set needs rebuilding including the 'time machine', which needs to be made from strong durable materials and the trees which need to be enlarged for the larger venue in Edinburgh. The 'time machine' is a miniature stage which is used for shadow puppet scenes and projections, and is a core element of the performance as a whole (see photographs).
• As we use such a large number of puppets and props, we will need to spend a small proportion of our funding on van hire to get us to Edinburgh in August.
• Though we have managed to find most of our costume items there are a couple more that we need to buy, this is only a small cost and saves the cast spending any more money after their accommodation.
• If we exceed our fundraising target, we will help our cast with the cost of their accommodation, which they've already paid for themselves (it is more expensive than London!).