Nan sings as she hangs out the washing to dry on the windy bank of the river Yare, but her grandson Michael would rather spend his summer holiday playing on his computer than listening to her tales of ancient smuggling adventures. As he waits for his new wind-turbine kit to arrive, Zephyr the west wind picks him up and carries him off into the past and the future, where the mighty force of the wind fills sails, turns mills, spins turbines, wrecks ships, and carries birds, seeds, and insects thousands of miles across the oceans. Michael is dropped into Jenny’s world of wherries, witches, smugglers, and a real giant, where a good wind takes you where you want to go, but an ill wind quickly sends everything spinning out of control. ……
By Meg Amsden, Joy Haynes and Nick Murray Brown.
Directed by Joy Haynes, Designed and made by Meg and Jayne Ivimey
Performed by Meg and Nick Murray Brown/Steve Peck
Commissioned by the Broads Authority in 2005
Review of ‘Windy Old Weather’
The lively production is full of twists and turns, supported by tunes that are extremely catchy (which I still find myself humming!). The production is fun-filled and educational, with puppetry providing a novel theatrical medium to convey an environmental message to mesmerise and enthral its young audience (and the not so young!). With an extremely versatile and vibrant set, the audience is taken on a voyage of discovery, captivated by various characters along the way…..
The puppets and props are truly magical and created with attention to detail and all having their own distinct voices. Children are invited to take part in the show by being taught how to fly with Zephyr……
Part of a review by Martina Glason
(Waste Education Officer Norfolk County Council) 8th August 2005
Windy Old Weather was commissioned by the Broads Authority in 2005.