TRP Stories: Niki McCretton

Creative Director for Stuff and Nonsense (S&N), Niki McCretton, has a long history with TRP having first toured here in 2008 with S&N’s Little Red Hen. Gradually over the past 16 years, the tours have expanded to encompass school workshops and span the whole of December and into January, and now, with The Three Little Pigs, the Easter holidays too.

Niki, who is originally from Bridgwater, says: “Theatre Royal Plymouth is our favourite place to perform. The audiences are really responsive and the children heckle, which is great! We like an audience that’s a bit boisterous. Our actors are good at accommodating this ad hoc interaction.”

Niki speaks about her love of hearing parents talk passionately to their children about the shows and reminisce about hearing the stories as youngsters themselves. Niki too, was inspired to enter the world of theatre during her own childhood after having stories read to her and watching The Muppet Show.

Following her career aspiration, she attended the world-renowned Bristol-based circus and physical theatre training school, Circomedia. There, she honed her aerialist and unicycle skills before heading to Paris and working with first-class artists.

On her return to the UK in the late 1980s, Niki established her first company in Aberdeen and was able to create wonderful small scale physical theatre productions, which she toured through the highlands. Niki says: “The Scottish tour was the best on the planet – we visited some brilliant communities which showcased to all age groups. That’s where I cut my teeth devising inventive shows and found my passion for wanting to entertain people.”

After many years producing and performing in Scotland, Niki went back to her roots and relocated to the South West where she worked as a solo artist before joining Stuff and Nonsense and eventually becoming Artistic Director.

Niki’s reimagined productions include The Little Red Hen, The Enormous Turnip, Goldilocks & The Three Bears and the most recent, The Three Little Pigs. Her somewhat novel method of producing shows involves working with children as co-creators.

Niki says: “When I first made work for children, it was important to include them in the process and that we collaborate as equals.

“About 15 years ago, I worked at House of Imagination which is very much child-centric. I learnt a great deal about how you take children’s ideas forward and I got a thirst for it. The children are consistently brilliant and have such a rich way of working.”

Following The Three Little Pigs run at TRP this Easter, Niki and Stuff and Nonsense have exciting plans for the rest of 2024 and beyond. Niki says: “We’re touring five shows this year and are in the early stages of creating an orchestra-centred production – so stay tuned!”

To find out more about the making of The Three Little Pigs, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY9DcaQ40ZM.

Watch Niki’s video:

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