Meggie Magicia

Heart-warming family show Meggie Magicia, by North East playwright Wendy Errington, on first regional tour.

Meggie Magicia is a playful show for 5-8 yr. olds and their families or school. It’s about a girl, magic tricks, and a penguin – what could possibly go wrong?

Following a sell-out run at Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle in Autumn 2021, Meggie Magicia comes to theatres around the North East, from Oct 25 to Nov 6 this year. One performance will be BSL interpreted by Jenna Johnson, at Gala Durham. It will also tour to three North East primary schools for free – it’s important that it can be enjoyed by some children who wouldn’t normally get to the theatre.

About the show: Meggie is newly moved to the seaside to live with her Gran, separated from her Dad who is working away. Meggie is desperate to fit in and impress the school bully, plus make her magician Dad proud. So, she sets about practising a spectacular magic trick, for the annual Lifeboat Festival’s talent show that day, with the aid of her toy penguin, but time is ticking away. Will she succeed?

Wendy Errington is a North East playwright who, over the past five years, has had plays performed at Alphabetti Theatre, Live Theatre, Theatre Space NE, and ARC Stockton Arts Centre. She has also had plays produced by Coracle Productions and Workie Ticket Theatre Company. This is Wendy’s debut family show. Under the banner of Pen Gwyn Productions, she is also Producer. She is proud to say that the cast and team are from the North East and that the JJ Williams Fund is the generous benefactor of the show.

The production is directed by Natasha Haws, who has many years’ experience of theatre for young people. Among many other roles, she is Associate Director at The Customs House Pantomime. Charlotte Ryder, who performed in Northern Stage’s tour adaptation of War of the Worlds, as well as numerous other NE productions, will reprise the role of Meggie Magicia.

Ziad Jabero is the Musical Director and is composing extra music for the show this year, while Claire Tustin wrote the song “Alakabam”. They both have composed songs for Christmas shows at The Duke’s Theatre, Lancaster. This year the show will have some new team members: Lee Ward of Hollow Productions is designing a new set; John Rainsforth, an esteemed Lighting Designer, is on board; and Becky Glendenning is Tour Stage Manager.

Young magician, Michael Grist, is Magic Consultant for the show, and he will be doing magic demos after the show, at weekday venues. And there’ll be free colouring-in penguin sheets and stickers. Finally, exciting news, there is going to be a picture book version of the show. It will be sold alongside the tour in foyers, and online. Proceeds this year from book sales to Children North East. South Shields MA Illustration student Lauren Osborne, is illustrating the book, while Fingermouse Books is the publishing services behind the book.

For venues, dates, tickets, team bios, images, and more about Meggie Magicia, go to: www.pengwynproductions.co.uk