Home from Home
The River
People
In 2004 Edward Wren and Claire Harvey formed
The River People.
The River People theatre company has its roots
firmly in popular theatre, starting out by using puppetry,
storytelling and physical ‘bouffon’ characters; The River People
believe that theatre should be vibrant and moving and most
importantly – entertaining, and it is in the shared experience of
being lulled in to the magical world of puppets or bizarre buffoons
that unites the people in the audience.
The River People’s theatre is all hand made,
with Claire and Edward doing the majority of the puppet craft and
design they aim to establish their own aesthetic, with influences
stretching from Tim Burton to Steven Berkoff.
The Company aims to explore the use of popular
techniques in theatre and their ability to unite their audience,
hoping to establish an accessible theatre form outside of
conventional auditoriums that people can get excited about, a
theatre that becomes a part of social life.
In 2009, The River People became the pilot
company in The Point, Eastleigh’s Artists’ Quarters scheme and will
remain an associate company into 2010 as part of their Home from
Home scheme.
In 2007, The River People were shortlisted for
a Total Theatre Award for ‘Best Emerging Company’ for The
Ordinaries…in an awkward silence and in 2009 won the award
for Lilly through the Dark. In 2009 The River
People also won the Edinburgh International Festival award.