The summer holidays well and truly get underway this weekend as Newport welcomes back its annual Big Splash festival.
This year’s free family street theatre festival will offer families lots to see and do Newport with a weekend of free family fun from the quietly intriguing to outlandish, there will be performances popping up in the Big Splash zones at The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre, Friars Walk, Kingsway Shopping Centre, the Newport NOW zone on High Street/ Commercial Street and the river walkway between the University and the Red Wave creating one large outdoor stage in the city centre.
ANDY HOWELLS checks out five must-see free shows taking place at the Big Splash zones over the weekend
IF I COULD, I WOULD performed by Mimbre
Saturday 22 July, 12pm & 2.30pm (Usk Plaza)
From every woman to superwoman, If I could, I would delivers a heart-warming message for everyone about resilience in the face of the everyday grind. If you could, what would you change?
RAMSHACKLICIOUS performed by Mr & Mrs Burn
Saturday 22 July, 1.30pm & 3.30pm (John Frost Square)
Meet Mr. & Mr. Burn, an explosive, chaotic, off-beat Vegas double act with a touch of disaster about them. Music, clowning, puppetry, fire and pyrotechnics combine to create a world of surprises, where anything can and will go wrong!
ELECTIONEERING FOR BEGINNERS performed by Mr & Mrs Clark
Sunday 23 July, 11.45am (The Riverfront), 2.30pm (Usk Plaza), 4.30pm (John Frost Square)
‘Electioneering’ is the plight of two politically ambitious characters applying the fictitious self-help CD A Dummy’s Guide to Becoming a Successful Politician in an hilarious attempt to improve their standing with the public. How will you vote?
Electioneering for Beginners is commissioned by Articulture, in collaboration with the Wales Outdoor Arts Commissioning Consortium. Supported by the Arts Council of Wales.
TEDDY & OTTO performed by Creature Encounters
Sunday 23 July, 1.45am, 2.30pm & 4pm (River Walkway)
Meet Otto the Otter and Teddy the Fox as they wheel a wooden cart through the crowd. Laden with ancient magic, props and relics from the greatest fairy tales ever to be told, Otto and Teddy invite anyone who wishes to test their knowledge in a quiz of fairy tale fantasy!
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES performed by Grand Theatre of Lemmings
Sunday 23 July, 12.30pm & 3pm (River Walkway)
Sherlock Holmes is back on the case but instead of working out of his usual London location, he’s doing his crime solving from a very small theatre, the smallest theatre in the world in fact. Join this master solver of criminal riddles as he investigates the death of Sir Charles Baskerville.
- Check out the full diary of street theatre entertainers, workshops and further events on offer at http://www.bigsplashnewport.com