Two men need to look after a tiny seed; it is their job to nurture this small life and help it blossom. But as every new parent knows, this is no easy task.

Co-produced with Catherine Wheels, in association with Randers Teater, In Time is a playful, gentle, and highly visual show that, through humour and absurdist touches, shares the joys and frustrations of parenting a new life.

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If you wouldn’t mind giving us an introduction to yourself, the creatives involved in the show, and the show itself.

Yes of course! My name is Andy Manley and I am a theatre maker based in the UK. I am excited to be at the Children’s Festival this year with a show called In Time, which I made with Danish theatre makers Teater Refleksion and Claus Mandøe from De Røde Heste. It’s co-produced with Catherine Wheels in the UK so the team has a lot of experience. In short, the show charts the ups and downs of a pair of novice tree-keepers and the tiny seed they are entrusted to look after.

What first sparked the idea for this piece, and how did you shape it into something that speaks directly to young audiences without alienating?

On a very simple level I wanted to make a show about trees. Telling the story of a tiny seed, to a fully grown tree, and the people who look after it. Taking care of something is a universal feeling, shared by adults and children alike.

The children also understand they are being taken care of, and their story is mirrored in the growth of the tree.  That personal understanding, means it speaks to them directly.

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Imaginate is often known for unique or bold visual storytelling — what creative choices became essential in bringing your world to life?

I think we all came into the rehearsal wanting to tell the story visually, and the team had a strong history of creating visual theatre. Teater Refleksion is a puppet company and they have amazing attention to detail. Claus, myself and Catherine Wheels have all created a lot of highly visual shows. As the children are quite young (the show is for 3-7 year olds) we understood it would be a non-verbal piece, and so we worked with the designer Amanda Axelsen Sigaard in the room and the show shaped the design, as much as the design shaped the show. Adding Danny Krass’s music and sound design, and our world of tree keepers came to life.

Young People can be the most honest audiences. What reactions or moments of engagement have you already had, or are hoping they’ll take away from your performance?

Yes children’s audiences can be quite honest if they dislike something but also when they like it, you know it too. The audiences have been really engaged by the show. Every now and then, we get a child who runs up to us after the show, and gives us a silent hug. That’s high praise indeed.

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International Children’s Festival shows often cross borders in form and language. Does your production, or the teams, background or creative process shape the way this story is told?

I was making the show with Danish theatre makers, in Denmark, and I don’t speak Danish. I suppose that had a direct impact on the way the story is told. As a result the show is largely non verbal. We say our names and the odd other word. It’s a challenge to limit the language, but much of human communication is without language anyway, so it works well.

If you could describe your show in one image or feeling — the moment you hope stays with audiences long after they leave — what would it be, and why?

A tiny, growing tree. I think that’s an evocative image. Both for the children, and the adults. The idea of growth is maybe what I hope stays with the audience. Not just in terms of growing up, but also perhaps, growing older, growing wiser, growing more tolerant, growing to understand something or someone better. That feels very human to me.

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