A LIVE-action retelling of a much-loved children’s book is coming to The Hexagon on Monday (8).
Babe, The Sheep Pig tells the story of the lovable little pig who discovers a talent for sheep herding. With the help of his adopted mum, Fly the sheepdog, the piglet wins the trust of even the most suspicious sheep by being polite and courteous, something the sheep have never experienced before.
Based on the best-selling book by Dick King Smith, Babe The Sheep Pig fuses live-action storytelling with ground-breaking puppetry to bring the heartwarming story to life.
Emma Barclay, who plays Mrs Hoggett the farmer’s wife, says the puppetry used in the show helps to bring the animals to life.
She said: “I play Mrs Hoggett, who is an interesting character because at the beginning of the story she seems more excited about getting Babe on the dinner table, but she grows to love him and realises what a special pig he is. She is good fun.
“The idea behind wearing the masks was initially to make us [Mr and Mrs Hoggett] look a bit older, but when you are surrounded by a cast of animals to make us look less human actually works really well too.
“I also play a dancing sheep so wearing a mask makes it easier to jump between characters too!”
The play is currently touring the country and has been enjoying a huge amount of success from children and adults alike.
Emma, who is from Newbury but attended drama classes at Progress Theatre in Reading, says: “Every show is different, it really is lovely to go on tour with a show and to see a new town every day. As an actor, I am also getting to perform in all of these amazing venues which is so exciting.
“The children are loving the play, you see their faces from the stage and you can hear them joining in with the secret passwords, it’s fantastic to see.
“Babe is such a lovely story, but it has a strong message behind it too, that if you work hard, are kind and believe in yourself, you really can achieve anything.”
Babe, The Sheep Pig is at The Hexagon on Monday, May 8 at 4.30pm; Tuesday, May 9 at 11am; and Wednesday, May 10 at 6.30pm. Tickets start at £18 for adults, £17 for children. For more information and to book visit www.readingarts.com or call 0118 960 6060.
- TO WIN one of two sets of Family Tickets to see Babe, The Sheep Pig at The Hexagon next week simply email your name, phone number and preferred performance to contests@wokinghampaper.co.uk by 5pm on Friday, May 5. Usual terms and conditions apply.
