Playful adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's I Believe in Unicorns explores freedom to read
Theatre director Dani Parr is adapting the book for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013
War Horse might be his most famous work, but Michael Morpurgo's 2005 novel I Believe in Unicorns is just as powerful. In it, a boy called Tomas discovers the joy of reading through a local library storyteller called the Unicorn Lady, before the arrival of war threatens to burn the village library down.
'I was interested in the power of the symbol of burning books,' explains Dani Parr, director of a new production of I Believe in Unicorns. 'We take for granted freedom of thought and being surrounded by books and stories, and yet there are still places where books are perceived as a threat.'
The show is aimed at children aged six and over (although younger viewers are welcome) and will be very interactive, with each audience member invited to bring along a book for a special book swap at the end.
'Our version of the book is really playful,' Parr continues, 'but we also tell the more moving parts of the story, which will hopefully be a bit more challenging and thought-provoking for families.'
Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 3–26 Aug (not 12), 11.45am, £7–£9 (£6–£8.50). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.