Original activities for children

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 11

Original activities for children

There are three major highlights in the 1980 Arts Festival programme tor children. . . During the first week ot the Festival (March 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, at 6.00 p.m., m the Centre Gallery, Arts Centre) Word Players perform.- 1 - . z -'' . Formed only a year ago at the University of Canterbury^in 1979, they mounted ‘ five successful productions of. Welsh, American, English and Maori works.s “Super-, califragilisticexpialidocious is a new departure for them; being their first confrontation with the challenge of children s theatre and also. their first professional engagement outside the university. This programme was specially commissioned by the Arts Festival in recognition of their previous achievements, and it seems : likely to enjoy- the same

success as similar shows in earlier festivals. Children will have the chance to change the face of the inner city in the second big activity planned for them. The Chairman of the Children’s Committee, an experienceworn . ..father, knew that every child, given a crayon, a pencil, or a telt pen will sooner or later be tempted to experiment on the bedroom wall. So he invented “Childrens Paint-A-Wall Day” (March 16 2.00 p.m., at -the. Arts . Centre).,. This is?, intended > as' an outlet for children who have discovered that their decorative efforts at home are likely to go unappreciated; and as a release for parents who have discovered how much more difficult it is to remove than to apply paint on walls: Thanks to, the generosity of the Arts Centre, Christchurch child-

ren will have not just one but four walls to decorate according to their fancy. The Arts Festival is particularly proud of its third attraction for. children. For the first time, the Canterbury Children’s Theatre Will stage a major Festival production in the James Hay Theatre. At the invitation of the _ Festival they will revive last year's sell-out production of Spike Milligan’s “Badjelly the . Witch”: a chance for those who enjoyed the show to see it again, and for the many who missed out to make up for a lost opportunity (March 18, 19. 20, 21, 22, at 7.00 p.m., March 22 matinee 2.00 p.m.). The Festival takes special pleasure in this, association with one of the country’s most distinguished theatre companies.