iVi's life (by Compagnie Médiane), one of Bravo!'s multimedia theatre performances.

BRAVO! International theatre festival for children and youth begins this coming Sunday. The festival will be held in the capital region for the sixth time. It offers an exceptional chance to give the young ones of the family exciting cultural experiences in a warm and friendly environment.

The festival brings together an array of performances from well-known theatre groups across Europe. The programme offers over 40 performances in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. It contains performances suitable to children and youth of all ages.

Culture and language barriers do not restrict the performances as they introduce the young audiences to a world of wordless theatre. Accordingly, the performances share the use of strong visual effects and a gentle approach to the big questions in life. The array of charming stories comprise of varying uses of visual surprises from puppetry to play on colours and shapes, movement and facial expressions. Many of the performances also utilise music and dance as a method of communication.

A few of the stories take a look at some difficult topics as well, such as loneliness and the sense of being different from others. These challenging themes are nonetheless approached warm-heartedly through the gentle methods of children’s theatre.

The festival supports children’s creative development by offering fascinating performances that are sure to spark their imaginations.

PETRA NYMAN - HT