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Peeping Tom: Child (Kind)

London International Mime Festival

Two children cowered in a tent, a man in front of them is posed like he is falling backwards, bent at the knee

Between dance and physical theatre, Peeping Tom’s shows astonish audiences with unsettling imagery, humour and phenomenal choreography that defies logic. This one explores perceptions of childhood.

An eerie forest of towering trees and menacing cliffs reveals bizarre and disturbing scenes that hold within them the fears and dreams of a girl caught up in traumatic situations. Uncannily conveying the body language of the young while swirling around the borders of reality, Child features a mezzo-soprano as a child and seemingly elastic dancers who emerge from the scenery in endlessly surprising moves.

The Olivier Award-winning Belgian group follows earlier, much admired productions of Mother and Father at the Barbican with the final part of its family-themed trilogy. Developed from impressions of childhood shared by the whole company including co-directors Gabriela Carrizo and Franck Chartier, the last instalment results from their fascination with the human psyche and the construction of identity.

1 hour 25 mins, no interval
Age guidance 15+ (contains violence and adult themes. More Information)

Post-show talk, Fri 24 Jan
Free to same-day ticket holders

BSL-interpreted performance, Fri 24 Jan
Learn more about our BSL performances

Presented by the Barbican in association with London International Mime Festival. Produced by Peeping Tom. Co-produced by KVS – Brussels, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya/Festival Grec de Barcelona, Theater im Pfalzbau – Ludwigshafen, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, deSingel – Antwerp, Maison de la Culture de Bourges, Festival Aperto/Fondazione I Teatri – Reggio Emilia, La Rose des Vents – Villeneuve d’Ascq, Théâtre de Caen, Théâtre de la Ville Paris/Maison des arts de Créteil, Gessnerallee Zurich, Julidans Amsterdam, La Bâtie–Festival de Genève and Le Manège – Maubeuge.

Reviews

‘Scary scenes of untethered imagination with a characteristically stunning set‘
The Guardian
‘Hugely inventive and mercilessly bleak‘
The Stage
‘Groundbreaking aesthetic and dance quality that takes your breath away‘
Volksfreund on Child
‘Absurd, astonishing and deeply moving dance-theatre‘
The Stage on Father
‘A brilliant mix of naturalistic observation and weirdness‘
Independent on Mother

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