Kidding around will help wag the tale

SMALL stories and tiny tales aimed at providing children under the age of five with new, interactive theatre experiences will be presented in Hobart next week.

Small Stories are highly interactive, dynamic 20-minute performances developed by Kirsty Grierson with Leigh Tesch.

They involve storytelling, shadow play and puppetry, are aimed at children up to five years of age, and are delivered throughout Tasmania.

“By involving children and their parents together in our performances, we can stimulate the essential play that underpins important development in how they can relate and grow together,” Grierson said.

The Theatre Council of Tasmania awarded the 2018 Laserway on Davey Scholarship to Grierson in May.

Grierson used her scholarship to attend the International Teaching Artist Conference in New York, where she presented a workshop on her Tasmanian Small

Stories project, and immersed herself in the latest ideas from around the world.

After returning to Tasmania, she introduced the Tiny Tales series, which is designed for children up to 18 months old and their parents.

The first of these will be

presented at Hobart’s Town Hall from Monday to Wednesday, along with performances of Small Stories.

In Tiny Tales, babies travel through an immersive series of sensory experiences by entering different environments, each with their own story to tell.

“In this new approach we find that parents and carers discover new ways to relate to and stimulate their children, encouraging growth, development and interactive play,” Grierson said.

Small Stories and Tiny Tales, which are sponsored by the Hobart City Council, will be presented from Monday to Wednesday at the Hobart Town Hall ballroom.

Tiny Tales will be performed at 10am each day, Small Stories at 11.30am, and creative play and storytelling sessions from 1.30pm.

Entry is free but bookings are required from eventbrite.com