Introduction
New for Christmas 2020, 'I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In' is, like all our work, a sensory, inclusive, musical show for 0-7s and those with complex needs. Based on the Christmas carol of the same name, the show will be a 50 minute immersive, playful and interactive experience for the whole family. The style will be folk-tinged with age-appropriate and accessible traces of a magical Christmas 'ghost' story.

Our emotional development themes are around exploring the 'numinous', a term which describes experiences of awe, wonder, and feeling  small in relation to the size of the universe; change and loss - Christmas can be a hard time for many families who have experienced separation from loved ones, the impact of dementia upon a parent or grandparent, or a bereavement, and it can feel difficult to know how to be with those feelings at a time traditionally associated with joy; and ways the mind plays tricks in the dark, including how to cope with things that go 'bump' in the night.

Technical Requirements
Performances are low-tech, self-contained and can be delivered in virtually any room or studio space - audiences need to be close to the action and able to move and interact, so this is not suitable for proscenium theatres unless it's possible to have the audience on the stage.

Audience capacity will be approximately 60 per performance, and we can accommodate up to three performances per day. All performances are relaxed, signed in Makaton/Early Sign, and are differentiated live and in-the-moment for a wide range of needs.

​Synopsis
Bessie's family are spending Christmas at an old shipping inn, and it doesn't feel like a very friendly place at all: it creaks at night, the stairs are wonky, and there's a strange old man who spends all day at a table in the corner looking out to sea: just what is he looking for? Or perhaps he's waiting for something?

When Bessie finds a ship in a bottle hidden in a trunk beneath her bed, she begins to have some very strange dreams of the inn's past - of smugglers, shipwrecks, and exotic things from far off lands - and then, on Christmas Day, three mysterious ships appear in the harbour and a hornpipe calls her to explore. Just who and what are in those ships, and where are they going? 

As the ships unload their secrets, Bessie discovers she's received a very special present indeed.

A warm, gentle immersive Christmas mystery story for 0-7s and those with complex needs, packed with sensory experiences, traditional songs, and seasonal spirit.