ANANSI THE SPIDER

VISUAL STORY This visual resource is for children and young adults visiting the Unicorn

Theatre to see a performance of Anansi The Spider.

This visual story is intended to help prepare you for a new experience and

help you to become familiar with the surroundings and the performance.

This performance is fast paced, high energy, musical and contains some

scenes with loud effects and physical action. These sequences are not

sustained.

There are sequences that include characters being whipped by a snake tail

but these are not prolonged.

The performance has themes of greed, wisdom, family, anger, adventure, friendship, and bravery. The show contains a confetti drop effect, a lightening effect, a loud whip noise for the snake tail and live and recorded music throughout.

We have made the usual amendments to the volume and lighting levels in

the auditorium but due to the nature of the show you will experience

moments of loud sound effects.

The performance is approximately 60 minutes.

There is no interval

Welcome to the Unicorn Theatre. We are a theatre for children and adults.

This is what the building looks like from the outside.

This is the main entrance of the theatre. There are some steps before you

get to the front door. The words and pictures on the windows tell you what

shows and activities are happening inside.

When you enter through the front door, you will see a big space with lots of

tables and chairs in an area called the Foyer.

There are also some instructions on the floor tiles, you can choose to follow

these instructions or you can ignore them.

The Box Office is also in the Foyer.

This is where you can buy tickets or collect tickets that you have already

paid for. There may be other adults and children waiting to buy or collect

tickets when you arrive.

You will be met by one of the Ushers, who will be wearing a dark red shirt

with white writing like the one above.

You can ask an usher if you have any questions and they will do their best

to help you. When it’s time for Anansi The Spider to start, you will hear a

bell and an Usher will tell you where you need to go. Make your way to the

Clore Theatre on the GROUND level.

You might see some adults and children sitting at some of the tables having

something to eat or drink from our Unicornershop.

There is a cafe in the Foyer called the Unicornershop where you can buy

drinks and snacks. You can also bring your own drinks and snacks with you.

If you need to use the Toilet, they are downstairs from the Foyer. Look for

the stairs going down or you can use the Lift.

These are the boys’ toilets.

These are the girls’ toilets.

These are the three actors in the show

They play all the characters

They all play Anansi and they play instruments

When you enter the Clore Theatre you will see a dark room.

You will see a big tree, some instruments and green carpet that looks

like grass for you to sit on.

There will be an usher standing on the stage to help you find your seats

on the floor.

The grown-ups can sit with you on the floor.

You will hear signing and the sound of drums. 3 people in dark red and

colourful clothes will come in a door at the back of the room.

This is the start of the show.

The 3 characters will walk in front of you and tell you three stories about

Anansi. They will move around the space, climb the tree, play instruments

and sometimes talk to you. You can answer if you want.

The first story is about wisdom.

Long, long ago, when all the animals walked on two legs, and spoke words

and lived amongst people.

Some of the animals were good and hardworking and kind, just like some of

the people, and some of the animals were wicked and lazy and greedy, just

like some of the people.

One day Nyame the Skygod looked down at the animals and the people and

noticed that they had lots of problems, lots of confusion, and they were

always quarrelling, yelling and fighting.

So Nyame decided to help the animals and the people and the way to do

this was to send them a gift; the gift of wisdom.

The actor will hand out some small round pieces of paper – this is wisdom.

You can take one if you like. You can look after it.

But one animal, the cleverest animal of them all, Anansi the trickster spider,

saw what Nyame had done and had a very clever idea. He would secretly

collect all of the wisdom in a huge cooking pot so that he could keep it for

himself. So he set about gathering up all of the precious wisdom.

The actor will move around asking for the paper discs. You can pass them

along to the front. If you hide them she will ask everyone to help her find

them.

And when he collected every last bit of it he looked for a place he could

keep it safe.

Anansi tries to climb the tree with the pot strapped to his tummy but he

finds it quite hard and gets a bit upset.

Anansi is frustrated climbing the tree. He stops to rest a while meets a little

girl who was wandering in the bush.

Anansi and the Little Girl talk about the village and Anansi upsets the little

girl.

The Little Girl cries very loudly, don’t worry, she isn’t really upset.

The Little Girl tries to help Anansi climb the tree but Anansi won’t listen.

Anansi ties the pot to his back, and climbs all the way to the top.

The Little Girl was right!

Anansi is sat in the tall tree with the precious pot of wisdom but he is sad.

Anansi wants to share all the wisdom.

Anansi throws the wisdom out of the pot and all the green confetti rains

down on the stage.

The actors will also blow some confetti over your heads so you have a little

bit of wisdom to take with you.

You will see large pieces of blue fabric, become waves, and a ship.

The characters sing a song and move around the stage.

The words they sing mean, Carry me over into the water, carry me safely

into new lands.

The second story is about a lazy and greedy Anansi.

Two of the actors will run around the space asking you ‘Did you hear?’

They say it a lot and they a quite worried. Don’t worry, they are okay.

They are worried about a famine; this means there won’t be enough food

for people to eat.

They plan to plant lots of veg so they can share food when the famine

comes.

Anansi is too lazy and doesn’t want to work for his food.

They dance and show you how they plant and pick the food. They are very

happy.

The Animals sow seeds, gather in the harvest, and enjoy their food.

Anansi tries to take food but they won’t let him.

Anansi cries that he will starve.

He begs Brother Snake to help him.

Brother Snake offers some beg but warns Anansi that he will come to his

house to whip him with his tail as punishment for being so lazy.

You will hear the whip of the snake tail but don’t worry; it’s just a musical

instrument that makes a loud noise.

Anansi takes the vegetables home to cook up a delicious stew.

When Anansi is eating his stew he is worried about being whipped by

Brother Snake.

Anansi has an idea and shouts to the town that he is having a feast.

He tricks Brother Goat into eating some dinner and sleeping in his house.

Brother snake visits and knocks the door.

You will hear the sounds of Brother Snake and loud knocking on the door.

Brother Snake pretends to slap Brother Goat and he falls to the floor.

Don’t worry, they are just pretending.

You will see a flash of light when Snake whips Goat.

Anansi has ticked Brother Snake and now he’s going to put Brother Goat in

the Stew.

He’s a greedy Anansi.

Anansi needs more vegetables and visits Snake to ask for some.

Brother Snake warns Anansi that he will visit and whip him with his long tail

for being so lazy.

Anansi chops all his veg for the stew; you will hear musical instruments for

the chopping and stirring.

Anansi enjoys his new stew and eats until he’s full.

Again, Anansi is worried about being whipped by Brother Snake.

Anansi has an idea and shouts to the town that he is having a feast.

He tricks Brother Hog into eating some dinner and sleeping in his house.

Brother snake visits and knocks the door. You will hear the sound of Brother

snake and loud knocking on the door.

Brother snake pretends to slap Brother Hog and he falls to the floor. Don’t

worry, they are just pretending.

You will see a flash of light when Snake whips Hog.

Anansi has tricked Brother Snake and now he’s going to put Brother Hog in

the stew.

He’s a greedy Anansi.

Anansi needs more vegetables and visits snake to ask for some. Brother

Snake warns Anansi that he will visit and whip him with his long tail for

being so lazy.

Anansi chops all his veg for the stew; you will hear musical instruments for

the chopping and stirring.

Anansi enjoys his new stew and eats until he’s full.

Again, Anansi is worried about being whipped by Brother Snake. Anansi has

an idea and shouts to the town that he is having a feast.

Nobody wants to eat his stew; they know that Anansi is tricking them.

Anansi has an idea and invites everyone to a party.

Brother Armadillo comes to the party and dances until he is tired.

He doesn’t want the stew, he is a vegetarian. Anansi is worried but

Armadillo asks to have a rest after dancing.

Brother snake visits and knocks the door.

You will hear the sound of Brother Snake and loud knocking on the door.

Anansi wants Brother Armadillo to answer the door but he says no.

Brother snake comes into the house and whips Anansi.

Brother Armadillo and Brother Snake are happy that Brother Anansi is

punished.

The actors will move around the space with music and show you how they

get ready for a long journey.

They will use the blue material to make waves and show Anansi flying.

You’ll see more confetti wisdom flying around.

Two of the characters are running around the space playing catch and hide

& Seek.

They are being quite loud and laughing and teasing each other.

They are brothers, Kuma and Quek. Any they like to eat, and party!

All the characters will dance together and talk to you about a party.

Brother Antelope invites Anansi to a big party in the West Village at 3pm.

They will have fried chicken, rice and peas and coconut cake and custard.

Yum! Anansi is excited.

Brother Dog invites Anansi to a big party in the East Village at 3pm. They

will have pepper soup, lobster & callaloo and chocolate ice-cream! Yum!

Oh No! Anansi realises the parties are both at 3pm.

He wants to go to both, he is upset and a bit greedy.

They decide to tie a rope around Anansi so that the brothers can pull when

it’s time for the food.

They think they can have two dinners.

The brothers pull the rope back and forth but Anansi can’t move and

doesn’t get to go to either of the parties.

He is very upset and hungry and they all go home.

Luckily the sensible mum has dinner on the stove so they can have

something to eat before bed.

The brothers ask Anansi to tell them a bedtime story.

They want to hear and Anansi and Pot of Wisdom.

We know that one, don’t we!

You will see more confetti drop down in front of the tree and onto the

characters.

The lights will get a bit darker.

This is the end of the show.

You can clap if you want to.

The actors will all smile and bow. They will wave as they exit the stage.

Wave goodbye if you want to.

This is the end of the show.

During the show you might find something funny, you can laugh if you like.

During the show you might see or hear something that makes you feel sad.

You can feel sad if you like, that’s okay.

You might hear other people in the audience cheer, clap, shout out or

scream. You can join in if you like.

During the show you might feel that you need to take some time out. If you

do don’t worry about it, find an Usher and let them know. They will take

you to the chill out space where you can relax and return to the show when

you feel ready.