Kneehigh

Kneehigh Theatre was founded by teacher Mike Shepherd (b1953) in Cornwall in 1980. The first phase of Kneehigh's development commenced with theatre workshops run in Shepherd's spare time. These workshops were a collaboration with an eclectic group of individuals – including students, a farmer, a sign writer, a thrash guitarist and an electrician – with a mandate to create work for children and their families. This company of players would become Kneehigh Theatre – with its own distinct manifesto and ethos for creating vibrant, energetic, accessible, touring productions for a wide audience.

The Non-negotiables of Kneehigh Theatre: 

• Ensemble and Devising - Much of Kneehigh's work is devised, meaning that the production is created collaboratively, often through improvisation and experimentation in the rehearsal room. Actors, directors, designers, and musicians all contribute to the creation of the show. The company's ensemble approach is crucial to its identity, with performers encouraged to take on multiple roles, contributing to both the physical and emotional creation of the production. This collective creation fosters a sense of shared ownership of the work and encourages collaboration and innovation in the rehearsal process. Kneehigh's ensemble approach extends beyond the actors, incorporating designers, musicians, and technical staff in a way that reinforces the idea of theatre as a collective experience.
• Storytelling and Folktales + Fairy tales - Kneehigh often draws on traditional storytelling, adapting classic myths, fairy tales, and folk narratives into new, contemporary forms. The company's work frequently incorporates oral storytelling, using a range of voices and narrative styles to make the story feel like a shared experience between the actors and the audience. Their productions are often rooted in local myths, drawing on Cornish legends and folklore, which is reflective of the company's origins in Cornwall. This use of regional storytelling allows Kneehigh's work to engage with issues of identity and belonging, while also making the work feel timeless and universal.
• Humour and Playfulness - Kneehigh's theatre is often characterised by a sense of playfulness and humour. Their work frequently incorporates comedy, from slapstick and physical humour to more sophisticated, ironic wit. This light-heartedness allows the company to explore serious themes (such as love, loss, or conflict) in a way that feels accessible and engaging. The humour often comes from a sense of exaggeration and surprise, with actors adopting larger-than-life characters and using visual gags and comedic timing to undercut moments of emotional intensity, thus creating a balance between joy and sorrow.
• Physical and Visual Theatre - Kneehigh's work is deeply rooted in physical theatre, where movement and gesture are just as important as words in telling the story. The company frequently uses exaggerated, stylised gestures and physicality to express emotions and themes. The use of visual imagery is central to their productions. Kneehigh's theatre often employs puppetry, live projections, and creative set designs to build immersive worlds that engage the audience's imagination and create emotional impact. The use of costume, props, and physical transformation often plays a major role in creating character and setting, reflecting the company's fondness for non-naturalistic techniques.
• Music and Sound - Live music plays a central role in Kneehigh's productions, often integral to the atmosphere and emotional tone of the performance. The company blends folk music, original compositions, and re-imagined classic tunes to help tell the story and create an emotional connection with the audience. The use of music is often interactive, with actors and musicians on stage together, creating an atmosphere of spontaneity and engagement. Music and sound are used to enhance key moments in the performance, whether to heighten dramatic tension or underscore moments of reflection or transformation.

• Interactive and Immersive Theatre - Kneehigh is known for creating immersive and interactive theatre experiences that involve the audience in the performance, either by breaking the fourth wall or drawing them into the action. The company often challenges the idea of the passive audience, encouraging spectators to engage with the performance in ways that go beyond traditional viewing. This may include actors addressing the audience directly, inviting them into the action, or even using the space in unconventional ways that blur the boundaries between audience and performer.

• Transformation of Space and Set Design - Kneehigh is known for its creative set design and use of space. The company often uses minimalist sets that can be transformed through the course of the performance, with elements such as puppetry, props, and lighting used to build different environments. The use of physical transformations (where actors or set pieces change shape, location, or form) allows the production to become fluid and responsive to the narrative's needs, providing visual metaphors for the themes of change, movement, or passage of time. Kneehigh's sets are often very tactile, encouraging the audience to experience the world of the play through the material and texture of the space.

The Red Shoes (2016):

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Red Shoes is a visually stunning production that uses Kneehigh's characteristic blend of physical theatre, puppetry, and live music. The play explores themes of desire, temptation, and consequences through the story of a girl who becomes obsessed with a pair of red shoes. The production features a highly dynamic ensemble, with actors shifting between roles, and the set design uses a mix of surreal projections and physical transformations to represent the character's internal struggle. The emotional and physical journey of the protagonist is enhanced by the live band on stage, creating a cinematic experience with a strong sense of physicality and visceral impact.

Revisionworld.com. (2016). Kneehigh Theatre Company | Revision World. [online] Available at: https://revisionworld.com/level-revision/drama-and-theatre-level-revision/kneehigh-theatre-company.