This October, Bruiser Theatre Company presents what critics are calling "a grotesquemasterpiece"
The Boy Who Kicked Pigs tells the story of 13 year old Robert Caligari, who is a right nasty piece of work. But today is the day he gets his comeuppance. Today is the day he’s going to die.
When Robert kicks his sister’s beloved piggy bank, Trevor, out of the window, he sets in motion a chain of events that results in the unexpected demise of a local fishmonger. Having developed a taste for blood and sick to death of sneering, imbecilic adults, Robert sets about becoming the real murderer he has always dreamed of being, all the while egged on by the newly-talking Trevor.
Based on the book by Doctor Who’s Tom Baker, and from the minds of horror-comedy connoisseurs Kill The Beast, this madly-hilarious, frenetic scream of a show includes shark-mauling beach-goers, combustible vicars and even waltzing rats. It is a multi-roling masterpiece that tells the gloriously grisly tale of one scoundrel’s attempt at infamy.
Packed full of the verbal and visual ingenuity that Bruiser is known for, this "horrible little show about a horrible little murderer" is jam packed with physical comedy, inventive staging and ensemble playing, in Bruiser's trademark style. It's a darkly comic fairytale that mixes gothic horror with absurdist humour – think Roald Dahl meets the Brothers Grimm, with a distinctly twisted edge.
At its heart, this is a story about a lonely boy driven to terrible acts by isolation and a talking piggy bank. While dreadful things happen to dreadful people, we're left wondering whether Robert might have found a different path if he'd had someone real to listen to him when he felt unheard and ignored - all the characters could have had much happier endings. It would be less fun though.
Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Arts Development Officer for Drama and Dance, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: "Bruiser Theatre Company is back with another exciting production at the MAC this autumn. With discounted tickets available for those aged 16-25, Bruiser and the MAC are helping to ensure that more people from all backgrounds can enjoy the arts.
Bruiser Theatre Company is known for their fearless, inventive and thrilling performances, and
The Boy Who Kicked Pigs promises to deliver just that. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to support this production thanks to National Lottery players.
Lisa May, Bruiser's Artistic Director, said: "The Boy Who Kicked Pigs feels like a neglected sibling to a Roald Dahl book – a grotesque fairytale of wonky Gothic wonderlands. It's anarchic, fantastical and totally bonkers, giving us scope for physical comedy, verbal and visual ingenuity, and innovative ensemble playing. It's an absolute riot!"
Showing at The Mac, Belfast
16th – 18th October 2024
Tickets HERE.
