The King of Nothing
A Little Angel Theatre & Monstro co-production
Inspired by Hans Christian Anderssen’s ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’
Aimed at ages 5-11
King Reginald is a ruler who likes to keep in style. But the fashions change so fast, he’s afraid he can’t keep up…
Hearing of the King’s predicament, two fast-talking “Weavers” head to the palace with their brand new fabric: it’s “smart” and it’s “in” and it NEVER goes out of fashion. Soon the Kingdom is alive with talk of the magical cloth and Reginald can’t wait to wear his “smart” new suit to the Big Parade. But what are these “weavers” really spinning…?
MONSTRO and Little Angel Theatre’s latest Puppet Musical is an anarchic re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s Emperor’s New Clothes, in which the characters (and the audience) discover that people can be made to believe ANYTHING. With songs, puppetry, slapstick and more, the two Swindlers (or should we call them “actors”?) will weave their cunning magic on children and adults alike…
Production photos:
Quotes for other MONSTRO Productions
THE MOUSE QUEEN (LAT and MONSTRO co-production at LAT, toured to New Victory New York, Polka, Unicorn and Hampstead) 2006.
“impossible for anyone, of any age, to resist …It’s a wonderfully inventive work that genuinely has something to say, and has terrific fun saying it. A joy.”
The Times
THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE (LAT, Cubic Feet and MONSTRO co-production 2019)
“hugely impressive…genuinely moving…It’s such a learning experience for the children and an exposure to so many new forms of art, yet it never feels like hard work.”
The Guardian
Age guidance
The King of Nothing is aimed at ages 5-11. It is a comic and playful show, and the younger children will enjoy the slapstick humour, while older children and adults can also appreciate the verbal and theatrical wit. Under-5s may not stay engaged as well.
Book our workshops
School Bookings
For KS1 & KS2 / Age 5-11 – see above for notes on age guidance
English: Traditional tales and fairy tales. Comparing different versions of the same story.
PSHE: Trust and honesty.
Our Educational Pack will be available soon.
The Visual Story will be available soon.
Tickets for school groups are £6.50 for each adult and each child (weekdays before 3pm, during Islington term time only). Free adult tickets are available for children who need 1:1 support.
Before requesting a booking, please check dates, times and availability here. Maximum school capacity for this show is 115 people per performance.
Please fill in our school booking enquiry form here.
Download our information for undertaking a risk assessment for school visits here.
Accessible Performances
BSL Interpreted Performance: Tuesday 25 October, 2 pm. Click here to book tickets.
These performances are provided for those who use British Sign Language. The interpreter will be at the front of the stage and lit with a spotlight. They will provide a linguistic and artistic interpretation of the show for people who are D/deaf or for whom BSL is their preferred language.
Relaxed Performance: Sunday 6 November, 2 pm
No online booking for Relaxed Performances – please call 020 7226 1787
Relaxed Performances are provided for people who would benefit from a more relaxed environment, or are uncomfortable with sudden lighting changes or loud noises, including those with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, sensory or communication needs or a learning disability. Find out more here.
Click here to view the visual story for The King of Nothing.
What is a visual story? Find out more here.
If you are interested in arranging a weekday Relaxed Performance for a school group, please contact boxoffice@littleangeltheatre.com
Credits
Director – Steve Tiplady
Writer/composer and musical director – Ben Glasstone
Performers – Gilbert Taylor & Karina Garnett
Lighting design – Kate Hounslow
Set, costume and puppet design – Alison Alexander
General Manager – Rae Lee
Executive Producer – George Warren
Social Media Manager – Trynity Silk
Funded by Arts Council National Project Grants
Safety Information
Despite changing government restrictions, we will still have additional measures in place to keep our staff, performers and families safe.
Please note: we strongly encourage taking lateral flow tests prior to attending. While masks are no longer mandatory, we highly recommend wearing one when visiting our venues.
Puppets for all
Free tickets to families who would
otherwise be unable to visit our venues.
Little Angel is nothing less
than an icon of North
London childhood.
Time Out
If you cannot find an available performance to suit you, you can join our waiting list for sold out performances here.