A fairytale classic rushes headlong into the modern world at the Avenue Theatre this spring

In the modern world, technology can be a curse. “Trolls” aren’t just fairytale monsters, and the deep, dark internet is easy to get lost in. That’s the backdrop to Jo Carrick’s inventive new play Shattered; a charming re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen.

Performed entirely by two young and versatile actors, Shattered tells the story of two 12-year-olds searching for their best friends in a world where you can’t always tell the difference between the virtual and reality. The delightfully animated Gerda (Eleanor Cotton-Soares) leaves her village to find her friend Kai, chasing rumours of the Snow Queen and an enchanted mirror. Meanwhile, gaming-obsessed Kieron (Adrian Banks) loses his best friend Grace to a string of gossip and lies on Facebook.

Silly, riotous and farcically hilarious, Shattered is a powerful play that explores the issue of online safety and cyberbullying, and engages with children and adults alike. Set in a cardboard forest and populated by a crowd of colourful characters, there’s a wonderful fairytale feel to the piece.

“The kids love it,” says Resident Director Laura Norman, “When we take it to schools it gets very boisterous, all shouting and joining in.”

There’s no preaching, and nothing negative or scary – just good fun. The force of bullying hits home when Kieron starts receiving nasty text messages, but any seriousness is offset by some ingeniously funny moments. An evil witch in her magical garden and a sprightly Scottish schoolteacher are sure to have everyone in fits.

“We’re taking Shattered to 25 schools across Suffolk,” says Artistic Director Jo Carrick, “That’s a lot of kids hearing the message – but there’s so many more. We’d love to take it across East Anglia, and further.”

As well as school performances, Shattered is on for the public to enjoy at the Avenue Theatre on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th May – so book your tickets now!

Photography: Bill Jackson