ABOUT US:
We are Soap Soup Theatre!
We are proud makers of innovative theatre for children and their families, and are dedicated to creating startling work that invites audiences to co-create the worlds our stories inhabit. Our work is design led, offering a bold, unique visual language, so expect to see and hear creative, colourful design, beautiful puppets, and inventive object work.
We draw from our collaborators’ own passions and experiences to create work that is personal, intimate and a true shared experience.
This is theatre of the senses, and of the heart.
Over the last decade we have worked tirelessly to create high quality theatre and creative experiences with and for children, young people and their families. We have delivered workshops, masterclasses, after school art clubs, and summer schools. We have toured to libraries, community spaces, festivals and to well respected theatres across the UK.
At the heart of our work is a shared celebration of creativity and imagination, encouraging young minds to share their gifts through art, design and performance. Through connection, collaboration and exploration.
“Hilarious! How do you do it?!?!? A captivating and engaging production for the whole family…another stellar production” - Parent and Audience Member
“An original and highly creative show that captures the everyday angsts and frustrations close to every child’s heart” - Harry Mottram
“The Young Audience were absolutely hooked…thrilling story…quirky adaptation..brilliant nostalgic quips!” - Weston Super Mum
MINNY STYNKER:
The Minny Stynker Project is a very special one, and we need your help to make it happen!
Minny Stynker is an original story by Soap Soup Artistic Director, Tomasin Cuthbert Menes. Its themes celebrate everyone's unique creative gifts, and how they can support us and allow us to connect with others in times of challenge.
In 2020 Tomasin spent time in Bristol’s NICU after her son was born with severe Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. After this experience and isolation, she felt moved to begin a project for families who are caring for children with long term Illness.
Minny Stynker is a story about a child moving to a new town and coping with their loneliness by creating an imaginary friend through drawing and doodling. One night, their drawings giggle to life and Minny Stynker appears taking the child on an incredible adventure. in a story about creativity, connection and friendship.
The Minny Stynker Project is a big one! It is a theatre production, a picture book and an Augmented Reality experience with a wraparound and large-scale accessible participation programme, for families caring for children and young people with long term health conditions, and those who experience barriers to cultural participation.
With this project we aim to level up, as industry leading theatre makers using innovative creative technology as a means to engage and co-create with harder to reach audiences.
We are doing two things:
- Firstly, doing what we do best: creating an incredible live theatre show for families, which opens at The Tobacco Factory Theatres in Bristol this May and will tour nationally. A reduced version of the show will tour libraries and schools, reaching children who may not be able to access cultural experiences due to their socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Secondly, we are creating an Augmented Reality Experience designed for children with long term or life altering health conditions and their families. Created in partnership with Zubr Curio, one of the UK’s leading studios in AR and VR technology, this is created for families who can’t visit traditional theatre settings due to the health and wellbeing of their child.
With the app and a Minny Stynker picture book these families can experience the magic of Minny Stynker at home, in a care setting, or anywhere they like! Using creative technology, children will be transported to another world, meet characters that leap off the page, and enjoy the creative efforts of sound design, music, voice actors and animated illustration that create a unique magical experience. Children can even create music, and design and bring to life their very own imaginary friend!
The Minny Stynker AR Experience will be donated to hospitals, hospices, mobile libraries, schools and community spaces, as well as being available online.
During a research period last year we worked with families caring for children with long term health conditions, neuro-diversities and from underprivileged backgrounds. A series of workshops culminated in an exhibition of all the childrens work, and the launch of the pilot of the AR experience, which families tested for us.
Kate, parent of a child involved in the workshops, said:
“Soap Soup brought a burst of creative energy and joy to our seven year old son and to our entire family. Our son is recovering from a bone marrow transplant and leukaemia so can't mix or go to school. He's spent months in hospital and in bed. It was a huge boost to him, and wonderful for us to watch”
Alongside partners like The Bristol Children’s Hospital, Action for ME, the Knowle West Media Centre, IMAYLA, and Ups and Downs, we learnt more than ever how important creative experiences are for young people, whatever their background.
Emily Malins, Arts Programme Manager at University Hospitals Bristol says:
“The Arts and Culture Programme for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation fully supports Soap Soup Theatres exciting project Minny Stynker. Reports highlight the significant role creativity can play in improving health and wellbeing. More specifically research shows that engaging in the arts can aid recovery, reducing pain relief and boosting mental cognition”
Our hope is that hundreds of families will benefit. For this stage of the project we are focussing on the south-west with hopes to launch the experience nationally in 2025.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP:
This is ambitious project and we’ve already worked really hard to secure two thirds of what we need to make it happen.
The App alone is costing £18,000 to develop. This doesn’t account for book printing to donate books to hospices and care settings, set, props, costumes, freelancers fees, all the way down to fuel to tour the show around the country.
We still need to raise £13,000 to make this very special project happen, and we are hoping to raise £5,000 of this through crowdfunding.
Your donation will enable us to:
- Print and donate books to libraries, care settings and directly to families.
- Develop the AR Experience from Zubr Curio, a leading studio in augmented reality.
- Donate ipads to hospitals and healthcare settings for children to access the AR app
- Install pop-up AR units to in Mobile libraries to tour to more remote areas.
The arts give children a way to express themselves, learn, connect and grow. It gives them a chance to gain confidence, and feel heard.
We can’t do it without you. Please make a pledge today.