This June, Theatre in the Square (created by the Lyric Theatre) is producing free theatre for passers-by in Hammersmith for its fifth year running.
The programme of shows invites passers-by to enjoy theatre for free in Lyric Square, and will be running from June 9 to Wednesday (June 24).
The June programme includes the following shows: Boy Meets Girl, Monotone Man and Citizen Squid, which will all be performed outdoors - no matter what the weather has in store!
This week's installment is "interactive puppet spectacle" Citizen Squid, by Puppets with Guts Company, which will be at Lyric Square on Tuesday (June 23) and Wednesday (June 24).
Citizen Squid is an interactive show starring a giant puppet; the spectacle is a project about compassion towards others and ourselves, turning a fantasy world into a metaphor for today's problem with refugees and immigration.
Puppets With Guts' artistic director Ivan Thorley said: "Citizen Squid is an interactive puppet spectacle, in Lyric Square, it's about compassion and displacement.
"It concerns the outrage about the way refugees are treated in the media, which is quite shocking.
"It's fun and entertaining, but there's a serious message embedded deeply within it. It's not just for fun, but obviously it's beautiful and evocative. We use the puppet to tell the story; it's a multi-faceted puppet, different parts such as tentacles and eyes that come together at the end, we use soundscapes as well. It's a visual spectacle, it's quite stunning really.
"The puppet has a lot of range, it can perform and has complex thoughts."
Puppets With Guts has been involved in many collaborative projects, including War Horse, The Magic Flute, Paul McCartney's music video Appreciate and even the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Thorley said: "I started as a dancer and found myself leaning towards devised theatre. I started dabbling in puppets and now have been working in puppetry for the last 10 to 15 years. I think puppets find you rather than you finding them! Obviously with the success of War Horse, it's shining a light on all of the talent in puppetry.
"What we're interested in is stories with puppets that cannot be told with an actor. It activates the audience's imagination beyond the head-space of theatre. Good puppetry activates the audience's imagination, it's quite magical when it works."
The show, although suitable for the whole family, including children, takes a look at the way we treat asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants in modern society and teaches compassion. The elusive squid is a metaphor for immigrants, who suffer due to a negative stigma.
Thorley said: "We've had a lot of conversations with art groups working with refugees in London, and it's been so interesting to hear their stories.
"We don't want to be didactic about it, we don't want to tell the audience what to think, we're just creating a character, and we want people to come up with their own views."
After performing in Lyric Square, Citizen Squid will be coming to Watford Palace Theatre in early July for Imagine Watford Festival.
The company also offer puppetry workshops and classes for budding puppeteers.
Thorley said: "We're a young company, we've got a studio in Hillingdon, so it's great to do a project in west London, and establish our voice."
Get down to Lyric Square in Hammersmith this June for the chance to see brilliant live shows such as Citizen Squid for free!
Thorley said: "We're welcoming families, mums and dads as well as kids. It's surreal and abstract and visual, but adults will get the underlying message."
Lyric Square, King Street, Hammersmith, W6 0QL - 020 8741 6850
