A new Family Show and Augmented Reality Experience, inspired by an original story by Artistic Director Tomasin Cuthbert.

Moving house to a new city where it always rains, Kit is alone. Making friends is always hard, but here, it feels impossible. The rain beats down on the roof and drips down the window panes, trapping Kit in the quiet stillness of their dingy bedroom. But, one night, when idly scribbling to pass the time, the swirls and whirls on the page giggle into a life of their own, and a very unusual adventure unfolds!

A story about the magic of creativity, how we reach out to each other in the darkness and together, bring the impossible to life.

Addressing barriers faced by children in accessing creative experiences when they are receiving serious healthcare treatment, Minny Stynker is a theatre production, a picture book and an Augmented Reality Experience.

The project was dreamt up by Artistic Director Tomasin Cuthbert after spending one month in Bristol’s Neonatal intensive care unit when her son was born in Feb 2020. The project has been developed alongside families caring for children with serious illnesses and is endorsed by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust.

Kate, parent of a child involved in early research workshops, says:
“Soap Soup brought a burst of creative energy and joy to our seven year old son and to our entire family.
Our son is recovering from a bone marrow transplant and leukaemia so can’t mix or go to school. He’s
spent months in hospital and in bed. It was a huge boost to him, and wonderful for us to watch”

Minny Stynker combines the magic of live performance and puppetry with cutting-edge projection mapping and augmented reality technology.  Alongside a theatre show set to premiere at Tobacco Factory Theatres this May 29 – 1 June ahead of a UK-wide tour, an immersive AR experience and Minny Stynker picture book will be distributed to hospitals, hospices and healthcare settings across the Southwest.

The project offers an invaluable resource for reducing anxiety, supporting self expression and providing a much
needed distraction for children and their families.

Alongside this distribution to healthcare settings, the Minny Stynker experience will be made available to
families unable to visit traditional theatre settings through donations to mobile libraries, schools and
community spaces.

Innovative creative technology will allow children to meet characters that leap off the page, and enjoy the creative efforts of sound design, music, voice actors and animated illustration. Books will be available for purchase at the live show, and for each book sold another will be donated to a children’s ward or hospice across Bristol. Running throughout May, the Crowdfunder campaign will raise funds for book publishing costs and digital development from leading augmented and virtual reality studio Zubr Curio.

Artistic Director Tomasin Cuthbert says:
“We are so excited to bring Minny Stynker to Bristol this May – both to Tobacco Factory Theatre audiences and to children receiving healthcare treatment across the city. This project is very close to our hearts and has emerged from some incredible and generous collaboration with healthcare providers and families of children with life-altering illnesses. It’s the first time we are incorporating digital media to this level in our work, and it’s had an extraordinary impact on both the live and digital experience.”

Emily Malins, Arts Programme Manager at University Hospitals Bristol says:
“The Arts and Culture Programme for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation fully
supports Soap Soup Theatres exciting project Minny Stynker. Reports highlight the significant role
creativity can play in improving health and wellbeing. More specifically research shows that engaging in
the arts can aid recovery, reducing pain relief and boosting mental cognition”