The Looking Glass

Aim

The Looking Glass is a multi – arts theatrical production designed to provide opportunities for aspiring performance and production artists.

The Looking Glass is a multi – arts theatrical production based on the Lewis Carroll Novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass. The Looking Glass will show us the magical and surreal world of the novels in a way never explored on stage before. This production will encompass many different performance disciplines which consist of Acting, Circus Skills, Dancing, Contortion and Ballet. The Looking Glass is the first production of a new Theatre Production Company called Carnival of Eternal Light. It is the aim of both the production and the company to provide gateways and opportunities into the arts for artists wanting a career in the performing arts. The Looking Glass is providing opportunities for aspiring performers from a range of different performance disciplines and aspiring production artists including Make – Up Artists, Costume and Set Designers. It is also the intention of this debut production and the company to provide opportunities for the general public to volunteer and get involved with the theatre making process as well as provide educative tuition and support to people seeking careers in the performing arts.

The Looking Glass is an opportunity to create a mesmerising piece of Theatre which encompasses many different disciplines of performing arts. With this production and the production company we are aiming to create the ultimate performing arts outlet. This is why The Looking Glass will consist of Actors, Circus Performers, Dancers, Contortionists, Gymnasts and Ballerinas. As we have already begun to develop this project we truly feel we really have something that would greatly appeal to audiences and the public in general. The reason I have decided to produce The Looking Glass and form Carnival of Eternal Light is simply because I have firsthand experience as a struggling Actor. I like so many other performers am fully aware of how challenging this profession can be. I do not want to see myself, as well as so many other artists never realise and use their talents, which is why I would like to create opportunities and a gateway into the profession not just for me but for the many multi talented artists out there who may never get a chance. 

Trying to forge a career in the Performing Arts Industry is incredibly difficult and has seen many deeply talented and gifted Drama Practitioners fade into oblivion. Over the past nine years I have had many experiences as a performer, I came from a time of utter confusion and non – acceptance from my fellow colleagues in my school years. I found in my first years of performing that I was set free from my own personal shackles and treading the boards allowed me to fly within my own personal journey. Acting and Drama gave me a true gift in that I realised my deep down abilities, gained self confidence for the first time in my life and allowed me to be a fully fledged living organism completely in harmony with life and contribution to reality. Through developing this production I have already worked with and assembled a production team and cast of tremendous artists who want to realise their potential and their dreams and I want to help them.

You would be supporting the production costs of bringing this idea to life. You would be helping fund elements such as set design, costume design and venue costs. We have already drawn up designs for our brilliant costumes, which you can see below, which have been designed and will be created by the upcoming visionary costume designer Annabel Stenhouse. Our Set Designer Jessica Loveday has also provided some of her amazing set design ideas which you can view below too. We have a provisional tour set in place for next year which takes in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham as we try and reach as many communities as possible and get them involved. Your support will enable communities up and down the country experience this mesmerising piece of Theatre.

Costume Design by Annabel Stenhouse

Above two costume design images: The Cheshire Cat & The Hatter - COPYRIGHTANNABELSTENHOUSE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Set Design Ideas Provided by Jessica Loveday

There are many different rewards on offer for your support ranging from receiving signed merchandise, by the cast and crew, of this new production including posters, flyers and t – shirts, VIP tickets to the premiere of The Looking Glass. You will receive credits in our final production programme as either a co – producer, assistant producer or an associate producer. There are also opportunities to meet the cast and crew for Q & A’s after the premier of the show in Manchester as well as receive invitations to come and see the production in rehearsal and have a firsthand experience of seeing the circus, dance and ballet aspects of the show come together. There is also the very special ppportunity to be the guest of honour at the Mad Hatters Tea party – laid on especially for you. These are just some of the exciting opportunities to be had by pledging your support for The Looking Glass.

We are now at the stage of funding this production and getting it off the ground. We have completed development and now need to push though into the production stage as well look to premiere the show next March in Manchester. We have put together an Arts Council application for further funding of this production but we value the mass support and sense of communal ownership which is created through crowdfunding sites such as Crowdfunder.

If we are successfully funded we intend to begin the marketing phase of the production in mid – January and enter rehearsals in February with The Looking Glass premiering in Manchester next March. As a result of this, we should be able to finalise and distribute shipping of our rewards around the same time. Of course, there is the possibility of unforeseen printing and production issues, sadly, occurring and if this were to effect the distribution and finalisation of our rewards distributions then we would be sure to give regular updates to our supporters and backers. This production team are incredibly strong and talented and will be prepared to handle any issues around this if they were to occur.

Below are the names of the cast and crew who you will be supporting:

CAST

Kate Lavery – Jabberwock/the White King

Tom Lythgoe – the Caterpillar

Arthur Harlow – the Duchess

Laura Edwards – the White Queen

Rachael Dennis – the Cheshire Cat

Franklyn Jacks (me) – the Hatter

John Smith – the Hare

Meg McFarlane – the Dormouse/the Knave of Hearts

Laura Mutch – Tweedledum & Tweedledee

Gemma Anderson – the Queen of Hearts

Alex Aspden – Humpty Dumpty

Rebecca Cassidy – the White Rabbit

PERFORMANCE ARTISTS

Sarah Hassall – Dancer

Junior Thaw – Dancer

Bailey Thaw - Dancer

Matt Woods – Dancer

Anastasia Kakourou – Ballet Dancer

Lia Barron – Circus Performer

David Chu – Circus Performer

Abbie Mason – Gymnast

Kit King – Physical Performer

PRODUCTION ARTISTS

WRITERS – J.F.Cornes & Tomas Mason

DIRECTOR – Megan McFarlane

SET DESIGNER – Jessica Loveday

COSTUME DESIGNER – Annabel Stenhouse

MAKE – UP ARTISTS – Kanwal Rizvi & Sanita Liepina

LIGHTING TECHNICIAN – Rowan Dyer

MARKETING – Hannah Torbitt & Shirley Smith 

GRAPHIC DESIGN – Stephen Fallows

Our tour which is provisionally booked and in place will take in the following venues:

MANCHESTER: The Hope Mill Theatre

LIVERPOOL: The Black – E Theatre

BIRMINGHAM: The Blue Orange Theatre

*We do have other venues prospectively interested in staging The Looking Glass and we are currently discussing adding more dates as the month’s progress.

By supporting this production you will be personally responsible for creating opportunities and providing careers for many talented production and performance artists. You will be starting the journey for a production company that will provide educative and support opportunities for aspiring dramatists right at the beginning of their careers who wish to gain more experience in their industry and you will be helping to create opportunities for the general public to get involved in our works. The arts are for everyone, this is what we wish to promote and you will be helping us do this.

Thankyou so much for your support and we hope to see you all soon!                                        

This project successfully funded on 26th January 2017