The Polar Bears and Unicorn Theatre Co-Production
The Polar Bears Go Up
Created and Performed by Eilidh MacAskill and Fiona Manson
Directed by Lee Lyford
Designed by Claire Halleran
Composed by Greg Sinclair
Lighting Design by Kate Bonney
Produced by Sarah Gray, Scottish Theatre Producers
Creative Team
Eilidh MacAskill - Co-creator and Performer (Big Polar Bear)
Eilidh is a performer, theatre maker and live artist who has been creating high-quality and accessible experimental work for the past 14 years for both adults and children. She pushes at the edges of theatre and other artforms whilst cultivating an entertaining and engaging stage presence. Recent projects include her solo show STUD (BUZZCUT, Live Collision in Dublin, Camden People’s Theatre), The Polar Bears Go Up (Unicorn Theatre), How To Be A Christmas Tree (Cumbernauld Theatre), The Worm Inspectors (Eco Drama), Conference Call of the Birds (Creative Scotland Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme Commission), The Polar Bears Go Wild (macrobert, Traverse, Unicorn), Near And Far (Tramway), Swap Shop (National Theatre of Scotland). She is an associate artist with the National Theatre Studio, London, and is currently working as research artist with Imaginate on the Gendersaurus Rex project exploring gender and sexuality in children’s performance.
Fiona Manson – co-creator and performer (Little Polar Bear)
Fiona trained at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is a Clowndoctor with Hearts and Minds. Fiona works extensively throughout Scotland and has had the pleasure to work with National Theatre of Scotland, Junction 25, Starcatchers, Tramway, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Frozen Charlotte, among others. Most notable is Fiona's work with Fish & Game Theatre in her role as creator and performer of the Polar Bears Go Up! She has recently established Elie Street Productions and will be performing and directing Christmas at the Circus (Cumbernauld Theatre). Previous work includes: How to be a Christmas Tree, The Polar Bears Go Wild, Everyone's A Winner, Baby! (Fish & Game) Common Man, Tin Forrest, The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish, Swap Shop (National Theatre of Scotland ). Her performance for young audiences with Fish & Game has taken her to Imaginate and Take Off theatre festivals and the International Performing Arts for Youth Showcase 2017.
Lee Lyford – Director
Lee is an Associate of The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath and Joint Artistic Director of GALLIVANT.
Plays directed: THE OWL WHO WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK Unicorn Theatre, POLAR BEARS GO UP Unicorn Theatre, THE LADYKILLERS (Graham Linehan) Watermill Theatre, THE FALCON'S MALTESER (Anthony Horowitz ad. New Old Friends) The Pleasance/ The Egg, TUXEDO JUNCTION (Simon Slater) Watermill Theatre, MOOMINLAND MIDWINTER (ad. Hattie Naylor) Waterside Arts Centre, BRITAIN'S BEST RECRUITING SERGEANT (Joy Wilkinson) Unicorn Theatre, THE FOURTH WISE MAN (Purni Morell) Unicorn Theatre, MUSCLE (Tom Wainwright) Bristol Old Vic and Hull Truck, BLUEBEARD (Hattie Naylor with Gallivant) Bristol Old Vic and Soho Theatre, THE WINDOW (Silva Semerciyan) Bristol
Old Vic, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA Watermill Theatre, THE ELEPHANT MAN (Bernard Pomerance) Salisbury Playhouse.
Plays directed at the Theatre Royal Bath and The Egg include: MOOMINLAND MIDWINTER (ad. Hattie Naylor), HEIDI- A GOAT'S TALE (ad. Andrew Pollard), THE JUDGEMENT OF MACBETH (Hattie Naylor), BROKEN WINGS (Sarah Daniels), THE FRENCH DETECTIVE AND THE BLUE DOG (Hattie Naylor), BROKEN HALLELUJAH (Sharman Macdonald), ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (ad. Hattie Naylor), BEN HUR (ad. Hattie Naylor) HIS DARK MATERIALS (ad. Nicholas Wright), PETER PAN, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (ad.Toby Hulse) GUYS AND DOLLS, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, MY LIFE AS A FAIRYTALE (Hattie Naylor), WAR DADDY (Jim Grimsley) THE NUTCRACKER (ad. Hattie Naylor), MY LIFE IN THE SILENTS (Timothy Mason),THE ODYSSEY (ad.Hattie Naylor), ANIMAL FARM (ad. Peter Hall)
Claire Halleran - designer
Claire is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art and Master of Fine Art, Queen Margaret University and has been fortunate to work with The Polar Bears previously on The Polar Bears Go Wild. Recent design credits include: The View From Castle Rock (Stellar Quines/Edinburgh International Book Festival) Polar Bears Go Up (Unicorn/Fish and Game) The Devil’s Larder (Grid Iron) Whisky Galore (National Theatre of Scotland). She has also designed for many Scottish companies including Borderline/Hirtle, Ros Sydney, A Moment’s Peace, Grinagog, Cultured Mongrel Dance Theatre, Frozen Charlotte, Visible Fictions, Macrobert Arts Centre, Platform, Smallpetitklein, Magnetic North and Birds of Paradise. She is co-founder of The Envelope Room, a network set up to support and promote stage designers in Scotland.
Greg Sinclair– composer
Greg is an award-winning performance maker, cellist and composer. He is the recipient of a Children’s Theatre Fellowship from The Arts Foundation.
His performance ‘Sonata for a Man and a Boy’ was the winner of the 2013 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland award for Best Production for Children and Young People. His solo show I Do, Do I won the inaugural The Arches and Summerhall’s Autopsy Award, was a critical success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014, and was selected for Brighton Festival 2015.
As a composer / performer he has worked with companies including: Curious Seed, Lung Ha, Dundee Rep, Fish & Game, Macrobert, Frozen Charlotte and Starcatchers.
Kate Bonney – Lighting Designer
Kate designs lighting for a variety of live performance and events, nationally and internationally. Recent credits includeThe Red Shed (Mark Thomas/Lakin McCarthy); The Cheviot, The Stag and The Black, Black Oilwith Dundee Rep;The Voice Thiefwith Catherine Wheelswhich was shortlisted for Best Design and won Best Production for Children and Young People in the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland;CuckooedwithMark Thomas/The Traverse,which won a Fringe First Award and an Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award. She has also led the design of the Enchanted Forestsince 2013.
Represented by Kids Entertainment