current production

The Secret Garden

"a stunning piece of physical theatre that is feast for all the senses" (Dorset Echo)

Angel Exit Theatre in conjunction with Activate and Lighthouse Poole present a co-production with Dorchester Arts and Bridport Arts Centre of The Secret Garden

To coincide with the centenary of Frances Hodgson Burnett's life-affirming classic novel, Angel Exit's brand new production of The Secret Garden is touring the UK from January to April 2012. See below for dates and details.

"things are stirring down there in the dark"

Angel Exit unearth the dark heart of The Secret Garden, which sees spoilt Mary Lennox plucked from the bright vibrancy of India and transplanted to a big old house full of secrets on the grey Yorkshire moors. As Mary battles loneliness she encounters locked doors, a curious robin, hidden keys, and strange cries ringing down the corridor…

Presented in Angel Exit's rich visual style and blending storytelling with striking physicality, beautiful puppets, live singing and an original soundtrack, The Secret Garden will be performed by an ensemble of five.

This show for all the family has been commissioned by Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts, and Activate. It is co-produced by Dorchester and Bridport Arts Centres and will premiere in Dorset in January 2012. The Secret Garden is touring from January until the end of March 2012 and is funded by Arts Council England and West Dorset Leisure fund. This is Angel Exit's third show created at their base in Dorset.

"Theatrical invention is everywhere... visually exciting throughout, this production never loses the quality of a life-changing adventure story." The Stage on Moonfleet.

Angel Exit Theatre offer a series of high quality tailored workshops to run alongside The Secret Garden. For more information on them download our workshop pack here.

Reviews

"An imaginatively inventive retelling" (The Stage)
Click here to read full review

"A magical, engrossing and beautifully judged show that really is suitable for all ages" (Blackmore Vale Magazine)
Click here to read full review

"the whole effect is magical & the full-house audience in Dorchester Corn Exchange, applauded long & loud when the show arrived at its happy ending." 5 ***** (Remote Goat)
Click here to read full review

"It is a tribute to the company that the smaller as well as adult members of the audience concentrated so completely." 4 **** (What's on Stage)
Click here to read full review

"This justly famous children's novel has been transformed into a stunning piece of physical theatre that is a feast for all the senses, thanks to the imaginative creative team of Angel Exit, a Dorset-based professional company." (Dorset Echo)
Click here to read full review

UK tour Spring 2012:

January

5th - 7th Corn Exchange, Dorchester - www.dorchesterfestival.co.uk
10th Savoy Theatre, Monmouth - www.monmouthsavoy.co.uk
11th Theatre Gwaun, Fishguard - www.its4u.org.uk
13th - 14th Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis - www.marinetheatre.com
16th - 18th Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter - www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk
19th The Theatre, Chipping Norton - www.chippingnortontheatre.co.uk
20th Wedmore Village Hall, Somerset - www.takeart.org
21st Wilvelscombe Primary School, Somerset - www.takeart.org
22nd Roadwater Village Hall, Somerset - www.takeart.org
24th - 25th Waterloo East Theatre, London - www.waterlooeast.co.uk
26th - 27th Mumford Theatre, Cambridge - www.anglia.ac.uk
31st The Bay Theatre, Weymouth College - www.weymouth.ac.uk

February

5th Buxton Opera House - www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
10th - 11th Rondo Theatre, Bath - www.rondotheatre.co.uk
13th Mercury Theatre Studio, Colchester - www.mercurytheatre.co.uk
15th The Carriageworks, Leeds - www.carriageworkstheatre.org.uk
16th - 17th artsdepot, London - www.artsdepot.co.uk (NB the matinee is at 2pm, not 3pm as it says on publicity)
18th Market Theatre, Ledbury - www.themarkettheatre.com
20th - 21st Little Theatre, Torquay - www.toadstheatre.co.uk
22nd The Brewhouse, Taunton - www.thebrewhouse.net
23rd - 25th Bridport Arts Centre - www.bridport-arts.com/
29th Salisbury Arts Centre - www.salisburyartscentre.co.uk

March

2nd Bredhurst Village Hall, Kent - www.applause.org.uk
3rd Rolvenden Village Hall, Kent - www.applause.org.uk
6th Nazareth Community Centre, nr Caerphilly www.nightout.org.uk
7th Llandinam Village Hall, Powys - www.nightout.org.uk
8th Trafalgar School, Downton - www.poundarts.org.uk/touring
9th Collingbourne Kingston Village Hall, Wiltshire - www.poundarts.org.uk/touring
10th Winfrith Village Hall, Dorset - artsreach.co.uk
11th The Exchange, Sturminster Newton - artsreach.co.uk
16th Stamford Arts Centre - www.stamfordartscentre.com
17th Terry O'Toole Theatre, Lincolnshire - www.terryotooletheatre.org.uk
18th Cornerstone, Didcot - www.cornerstone-arts.org/8.id
19th - 20th Theatre Royal, Margate - www.theatreroyalmargate.com
22nd New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth - www.newtheatreroyal.com
24th Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury - www.rosestheatre.org
26th - 28th Burnley Youth Theatre - www.burnleyyouththeatre.com
31st Kings Lynn Arts Centre, Norfolk - www.kingslynnarts.co.uk

April

1st - Farnham Maltings - www.farnhammaltings.com
11th - 14th Lighthouse, Poole www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

Photography: Alistair Nisbet

The design of The Secret Garden has been funded through a We Fund campaign. Angel Exit would like to thank: Michael Bailey, The Ellem Foundation, Jomax, Neil Cheadle, Ash's big bro, D Smith, Roy Attfield, Abigail Rennie, Tim Keen, Johnny Burke, Mugginsear, Esther Keen, PlayRewindForward, Napoleon Creative, Chris Sherlock, Irene Archibald, Joel Nesbitt, Amanda Lamb, Jonathan Dunstan, Elzevir, Adam Blake, Chubbybubby, La Clinica A Mano, N Labib, M.J. van de Woerd and all our other supporters for their help in making this show.

If you are a venue and are looking for a fantastic show for all the family please get in touch as we do still have a few dates available January – April 2012. Please contact: tamsin@angelexit.co.uk