The Rat Affair - UK Tour

Aim

The Rat Affair are raising funds to support a UK tour of RAT - The Pied Piper of Hamelin reimagined through live music and shadow puppetry.

The Rat Affair are proud to present RAT

The Rat Affair are a band of musicians, theatre makers and visual artists. We wanted to create a show with no spoken word that reimagined The Pied Piper of Hamelin through live music and shadow puppetry. There was something unique and mystical about the story that seemed to reflect the strange and divisive times we live in.

The true story of The Pied Piper is one of people and migration. RAT has brought together more than twelve international artists over a two year period. Some of those involved are old friends, some are family, and others met for the first time while developing the work. Without the free movement of people this project would never have been produced and within the current political climate we are immensely proud to have made a show that comments on this side of humanity.

We are now ready to share this exciting project with the world - but we need your help!

The Rat Affair are raising funds in order to support a UK tour.

£7,500 may appear to be a lot of money - but this won't last long. It is incredibly expensive to tour theatre (especially with nine people on the road) and we believe in paying fair wages to our artists! The money raised will go towards supporting the pre-production of the show, this includes: set building, puppet making, music writing, equipment hiring, marketing, school workshops and production design.

The funds raised in this campaign will be matched by Arts Council England and enable the tour to go ahead.  

THE SHOW & UK TOUR

Amidst a musical score that shifts between sensationally boisterous Eastern European folk and sparse reflective piano works, RAT tells the tale of a curious man who offers to rid a corrupt town in crisis by driving its vermin infestation away. It questions the very nature of theatre by removing speech from the narrative, choosing instead to adopt the use of exquisite puppetry and projection to present a powerful spectacle of light and sound.

“it awakes our senses and imagination, provoking those fundamental questions of human condition”

Agnieszka Blonska, Theatre Director & Senior Lecturer at Falmouth University

“fiercely beautiful imagery with extraordinary music and a biting political comment”

Mike Shepherd, Artistic Director of Kneehigh

RAT will tour the UK in February and March of 2020. The tour will last for three weeks - starting in Cornwall, making its way through the West County, up to the Midlands, and ultimately ending up in London.

We aim to bring RAT to over 1,200 people!

REWARDS

As well as producing a live touring show, The Rat Affair have also made an album and collection of art work as part of the project. 

The album was recorded at Sawmills Studio by Tommy Williams and James Stewart in January 2019. You can hear a sneaky preview in the videos above. While Ailsa Dalling has been designing lino prints that not only stand alone as works of art but will also be incorporated into the live spectacle. Everything was devised at the same time in the same space and influenced all elements of the show. It is for this reason that we call ourselves a band of musicians, theatre makers and visual artists.

We are immensely proud to be able to offer you rewards for your support! These come in various shapes and sizes - but all reflect the visual or musical nature of the project. They include...

• A digital download of the album RAT.
• RAT on vinyl. The gatefold LP includes artwork by Ailsa Dalling, 180g heavyweight vinyl and album insert with photos. Limited to 500 copies and only 75 available to pre-order.
• An A4 linoprint from the show, cut and handprinted by Ailsa Dalling - these prints will be limited to 30 copies.
• A RAT limited edition A3 poster - again, all cut and handprinted by Ailsa Dalling, limited to 30 copies.

REMEMBER - When you choose an award you are also massively donating to the project.

If you have read this far down then thank you! And we hope to see you on tour.

This project successfully funded on 22nd July 2019