This Christmas, shoppers in Cardiff city centre can enjoy theatrical entertainment from one of Wales’ best known theatre companies as they hit the shops the week before Christmas.  From Tues 20 to Thurs 22 December, Hijinx Theatre will be transforming a shop in the Morgan Arcade into the setting for performances of its highly successful short play, The Snooks Brothers. 

The empty shop unit, generously loaned to Hijinx by The Morgan Quarter, will be transformed into a Dickensian style bank that is run to exacting standards by two brothers and visited by ‘customers’ (the audience) who also take part in the story.  In between scheduled performances, shoppers will be able to watch the curious brothers at work in their ‘bank’, which will be decorated in an unusual Christmas style more fit for Scrooge than Santa.

Inspired by Tellson’s Bank in Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, The Snooks Brothers is a comical, off-beat play about familiarity, contempt, pain-staking routine and the relationship between two brothers.  It has been in high demand at arts festivals in the UK and Europe since its premiere at Escena Mobile Festival, Seville in March 2011.  Director Ben Pettitt-Wade said “Audiences love the fact that they are a part of the unfolding comedy.  It always puts a smile on peoples’ faces and so we’re delighted that we can bring an extra sparkle to shoppers in the Morgan Arcade this Christmas.”

Hijinx Theatre, based at Wales Millennium Centre, has a 30 year history of creating and touring high quality theatre in Wales and the UK.  A distinctive theatre company, Hijinx specialises in working with people with learning disabilities through the medium of theatre and regularly employs learning disabled actors in its professional touring shows.  Like many of its professional productions, The Snooks Brothers will be performed by an inclusive cast.

The Snooks Brothers will take place in a vacant shop unit opposite John Ian Shoes in the Morgan Arcade (St Marys Street end) from Tues 20 – Thurs 22 December.  There will be three performances each day and performance times will be displayed in the shop window.  Tickets are available for free on a first come first served basis.  Audiences are invited to make a donation to Hijinx Theatre. 

For further information contact Vanessa Morse, Press Officer on 02920 635626 or vanessa.morse@hijinx.org.uk.