Light shows are becoming more popular with more popping up every year. Here in East Lothian A Christmas Fairy Trail is bucking the trend and stepping out of the shadows of the ‘light show’ tag.
Now in its third year, this hugely popular festive show returns. We caught up with Rogue Village co-directors and A Christmas Fairy Trail creative producers Peter and Jenny Maniam to find out more about their vision.
Having visited many light shows and with years of experience working in dance and theatre in London (Peter was a producer at the world-renowned Sadler’s Wells Theatre) they were keen to bring these two mediums together. Jenny explains, ‘We visited several light shows with our family and whilst we loved them, we did find that our kids weren’t fully engaged, flying round at breakneck speed. It was really obvious to us that blending theatre and performance into this environment would be beautiful and help punctuate the experience.’
It is this that sets A Christmas Fairy Trail apart from most other light shows, and offers a unique alternative to pantomime or traditional Christmas theatre. The event is co-produced with Archerfield Walled Garden and navigates 1.5km of the beautiful Archerfield Estate, with fairies and forest folk appearing around every corner. Drawing together a cast of world-class performers has been central to the show’s success with attendees witnessing performances up close, whilst meeting the characters makes this a truly magical experience.
They no longer describe the experience as a light show but lighting remains an integral element of the show. Lighting designer, Julian Hodgson, who has worked with Tom Jones and on the European MTV Awards, says, ‘Rather than creating a series of standalone installations, we are creating an ethereal world which the audience will feel immersed in as they journey round the trail.’
This year the show has a theme of magic and will include illusions and close hand magic. Peter adds, ‘We’re committed to evolving every year, so no two years are ever the same. This year we’re adding three new characters including a body popper and a magician, as well as an interactive area. We’re really excited about creating something truly world class that people come back to year after year and becomes engrained at Christmas in East Lothian.’
Pick up your tickets which are expected to sell out whilst you can.
Visit www.achristmasfairytrail.com to book and for more information.
Tickets priced: £15 adult / £11 kids / £48 family of four – plus booking fee.
