AwardsBest Family Show, Buxton Fringe Festival 2018
Best Community Project, Luton and Bedfordshire Community Awards, 2016 IntroductionBased on the storybook by trauma and parenting expert Jane Evans, Collar & Cuffs award-winning adaptation incorporates multi-sensory experiences, original songs, and intensive interaction to create a beautiful, accessible and participative experience for children and their grown-ups.
The production explores the neuroscience of anxiety and calm, and every performance is followed by a sensory play session demonstrating low cost/no cost resources that can help everyone to regulate their nervous systems. Our aim is to support healthy brain development, attachment, and good mental health for all. Supporting training for early years and school staff is also available. 
Culture & Creative DevelopmentMany of the items in the set have been sourced from the Kalahari region, with others - plus the original songs - inspired by the craft and musical traditions of the San people.
Wire puppet-making, movement and vocal workshops are also available for older children. |
Accessibility: Theatre for AllSuitable from birth, the production is only ever presented in a 'relaxed' style to ensure accessibility for very young children as well as those with complex needs, including PMLD. The show is keyword signed in Makaton . Co-produced with Early Years SEN, and funded by MK SOUP.
The production is fully self-contained so can be performed virtually anywhere! Available for performances in early years settings, schools, libraries, theatres, shopping centres, festivals, museums, and more. |
Download a free song from the show
| breathe_in_breathe_out.mp3 |
Breathe In, Breathe Out is the key information song from the show. Based on a traditional melody from the San people, the harmonies, pace and tone, plus the inclusion of simple rhythm provided by a djembe drum, supports self-regulation, mindfulness and calm for all.
Recorded at Unit 9 Studios, Milton Keynes, April 2018.
Recorded at Unit 9 Studios, Milton Keynes, April 2018.
Synopsis
It’s a big day in the Kalahari desert: it’s Little Meerkat’s first day on Lookout Duty. However, once she climbs the Lookout Tree she finds it all a bit overwhelming and falls asleep. When she wakes, all her meerkat friends and family are gone and a great big panic begins! With help from a Kind Elephant and a Wise Monkey can she learn to feel calmer and find those missing meerkats? This little tale helps everyone to see, hear, smell, taste and feel what's going on in their brains and bodies when emotions become overwhelming.
For more information, download our current Tour Pack (for theatres, festivals, and other venues), or download our Booking Pack (for early years settings and schools). You can also download a FREE day planner resource for use with children living with anxiety here.
The production is also not-for-profit with surpluses reinvested in developing new work for children, or to support free performances or donations of resources to early years settings in need.
To follow our live feed and discover more resources for children see our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LittleMeerkatShow
For more information, download our current Tour Pack (for theatres, festivals, and other venues), or download our Booking Pack (for early years settings and schools). You can also download a FREE day planner resource for use with children living with anxiety here.
The production is also not-for-profit with surpluses reinvested in developing new work for children, or to support free performances or donations of resources to early years settings in need.
To follow our live feed and discover more resources for children see our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LittleMeerkatShow
Reviews"This is a beautiful piece of children's theatre with harmonious & evocative singing, tactile fabrics and clever characters, all of which combine to engage little people in a delightful story, complete with signing. More than merely entertaining, this exceptional, amazing (rightly) award-winning show has been on the road for two years and has brought both delight and hugely valuable lessons...It was remarkable to see how the young people instantly recognised the characters' feelings beneath their behaviour and realised how ineffective panicking is - all revealed through the delightfully acted story"
Katie Barrett, Reviewer, Buxton Fringe Festival, 2018 “That was absolutely brilliant!! Highly recommend ‘Little Meerkat’s Big Panic’ performed by Collar & Cuffs Co at Brighton Fringe. Lovely story with added sensory play at the end. Big win. T thoroughly enjoyed himself, as did I. Definitely baby and toddler friendly! LesBeMums Blog, Brighton Fringe, June 2017 "Powerful stuff" Deborah Caulfield, Disability Arts Online, All in the Mind Festival, 2017 "So impressed by Collar & Cuffs Co and their incredible performance today. My two were absolutely entranced. Such creative storytelling. Some of the best children's theatre around." Dawn Hitchcock, Head of Drama, Itchen College, All in the Mind Festival, 2017 "We didn't expect to find so much in a show which was relevant to us as a family." Parent, Festival of Giants, 2017 |
Forthcoming Performances14th June - Blackwood Miner's Institute, Caerphilly (2 performances)
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Previous Performances
Reading Room, Husborne Crawley; 2 performances
Centre: MK; 2 performances
Northamptonshire NIMP Conference; 2 performances, plus workshops for professionals
Nene Valley Day Nursery, Northampton; 3 performances
Hat Factory, Luton; 3 performances
Rothesay Nursery, Luton; 4 performances
Little Squirts Preschool, Flitwick; 1 performance
Brighton Fringe Festival; 4 days, 3 performances sold out
International Youth Arts Festival; 3 performances; award nominated
All in the Mind Festival, Basingstoke; 2 performances
Meltham Close, Northampton ; 2 performances
Festival of Giants, Milton Keynes; 3 performances
INTU Summer Party, Milton Keynes; 1 performance
Little Foot Festival, Stanwick; 3 performances
Childminding UK National Conference; 2 performances, plus workshops for professionals
Mia Fest, Little Horwood; 2 performances
Childcare Expo, Coventry; 1 performance plus workshop for professionals
INTU Milton Keynes, launch of ‘Autism-friendly’ shopping hours; 3 performances
TES Special Education Needs Show, London; 1 performance plus workshop for professionals
Luton Cultural Education Partnership Early Years Conference; 1 performance plus workshop for professionals
Abbey School, Reading; 5 performances for Nursery, Reception, Years 1 & 2
Kingsmeadow Special School, Northampton; 4 shortened performances tailored for primary school students with complex emotional and behavioural needs
Pastures Way Nursery, Luton; 5 performances for babies through to preschoolers
Round Green Preschool, Luton; followed by twilight training session for staff
Little Fishes Preschool, Northampton; donated performance
Maidenhall Primary School, Luton; 4 performances
Sacred Heart Primary School, Luton; 1 performance, plus twilight staff training session on neurodevelopment and self-regulation
Childcare Expo, London
Merstone School & Forest Oak School, Solihull; 5 performances, plus twilight staff training session on trauma
Reynalds Cross Special School, Solihull; 4 performances, plus twilight staff training session on trauma
The Place Theatre, Bedford (2 shows)
Harpole Preschool, Northamptonshire; donated performance, plus staff training session on trauma
Big Dreamers Festival, Worcester; 2 performances
Geronimo Festival, Cheshire; 6 performances, plus 3 sensory play sessions at the creche
Jack and Jills Day Nursery, Rushden; 4 performances
Chapel Street Nursery, Luton; 4 performances
Sacred Heart Primary School, Luton ; repeat visit to work with extra year group, 1 show, plus twilight training for staff on Physical Literacy
GLive, Guildford; 3 performances
From The Forest Festival, London; 1 performance
Let Me In Festival, Kingston Upon Thames; 1 performance plus sensory venue tour
Geronimo Festival, Hertfordshire; 6 performances
Buxton Fringe Festival; 2 performances
Zoo Co. pop-up theatre space, Croydon; 2 performances
Faversham Fringe Festival, 2 performances in two different venues on the same day
Huntstile Organic Farm, Bridgwater; 1 special performance specifically for children affected by the loss of a baby sister or brother in pregnancy or in the first year of life. Supported by Towards Tomorrow Together
Above & Beyond Festival, Plymstock Library, Plymouth; 2 performances, both SOLD OUT
Luton Culture, SOLD OUT
Milton Keynes SENDIAS, SEN Information Day
Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead; 2 performances SOLD OUT
Delapre Abbey, Northamptonshire - with The Exotic Animal Encounter, providing an opportunity for children to meet real, live meerkats!
Made in Corby, Family Fun Day
Millennium Centre, Cardiff; 4 performances over 2 days - extra shows added due to demand