The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre is excited to be co-producing a comedy-theatre piece with Newport-based performer Justin Teddy Cliffe later this month, their first studio theatre performance and co-production since 2020, with support from Arts Council of Wales.
Performed on the 21st and 22nd October, The TigerFace Show is a semi-autobiographical, partly improvised, comedy-performance piece about childhood dreams, adulthood and mental health. The show aims to re-introduce adults to their childhood dreams and flights of fancy and asks us what we really wanted to be when we grow up, helping us encapsulate and rediscover child-like happiness in adulthood.
Performed as a mad and frantic hour of physical comedy; the central character attempts to re-create the last ever episode of his old kid’s tv serial ‘The TigerFace Show’. He is joined by puppet friends with troubling ideas and the performance quickly unfurls into an audience responsive, ragged-scream-party-piece, that’s one part misery, two parts joyful.
About the show, creator and performer Justin Teddy Cliffe comments ‘It started off as a stupid and chaotic comedy show that was just about having fun and dreaming big. I think it’s still about those things, but somehow it feels way more important now. In a world that feels a bit bleak and strange there is a real joy in reconnecting with the freedom and a spontaneity we had as kids and I’m making The TigerFace Show as a way of challenging us to do that more in our everyday lives.’
So that as many people as possible can enjoy the show, both performances will be captioned, and audio description will be integrated into the show. The performance on Friday 22nd will also be British Sign Language interpreted. As well as being performed live at The Riverfront, there is also an option for audiences to enjoy the show live from home thanks to a live stream ticket option.
The Riverfront is committed to supporting and collaborating with local companies and performers and embarks on one studio space co-production per season. Previous co-productions for the venue include Gods & Kings in Autumn 2019 with Four in Four Productions, and Microwave with Run Amok in March 2020 which unfortunately was unable to take place due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Leah Roberts, The Riverfront’s Productions Executive comments ‘Supporting artists and performers is central to all we do here at The Riverfront and the whole team are so excited to be back co-producing brand new and unique theatre. This is a very poignant piece for our time as I think a lot of people have struggled with their mental health in one way or another over the last twelve months, and I’m sure a lot of our audience have used this time to reflect on childhood and the past.
We can’t wait to welcome audience back to the studio theatre and to enjoy this fantastic piece from an experienced group of local artists.’
Tickets for The TigerFace Show live at the Riverfront and streamed live from The Riverfront are available here or by calling 01633 656757. Tickets range from £5 - £12. This show will explore themes around childhood, alcohol and mental health therefore the age guidance is strictly 14+.
