Kids answer life's big questions in STATIk

Not many people would look to a toddler or a teenager for the answers to life’s big questions, but Ellesmere Port-based theatre company Action Transport Theatre set off in to local schools and quizzed hundreds of children on issues that have puzzled adults for centuries. Inspired by the responses that varied from serious to straight out silly, their latest show STATIk was born. In development for more than a year, STATIk is described as "a testament to the wit and wisdom of children". Throughout the performance, the real recordings of children’s voices collected through workshops with hundreds of primary school children are used as a soundtrack to the show. Director Nina Hajiyianni says: "The show is a reminder that adults sometimes have something to learn from children." The story’s central character Mikey is on his first day at work at a radio factory. He joins the signal-fixers, preparing radio transmitters and tuning them in, but when a rogue signal is mysteriously picked up, hectic hilarity ensues. Selected to headline the renowned children’s theatre festival TakeOff, STATIk promises to be "an enlightening and entertaining theatre experience for all the family". The cast of three actors conjure up the limitless imagination and independence of Mikey using only energetic clowning and a vibrant sound track by award-winning composer Patrick Dineen. Action Transport Theatre exists to put new writing and young people at the heart of UK Theatre. It is is the only specialist new-writing and dedicated young people’s theatre company in Cheshire, and the company is driven by its mission to present theatre that is innovative, surprising, challenging and, most importantly, by, for and with young people. It ventures out to the Unity this weekend (October 19), for two shows at 11.30am and 2.30pm.