FROZEN frogs have been thawed, gerbils juggled and jelly gargled – now it's time for lizards to be liquidized.Welcome to the fun and crazy world of Brian Patten who has again linked up with the New Wolsey Theatre for a production created especially for the region's youngest theatre goers.

By Jo Macdonald

joanne.macdonald@eveningstar.co.uk

FROZEN frogs have been thawed, gerbils juggled and jelly gargled – now it's time for lizards to be liquidized.

Welcome to the fun and crazy world of Brian Patten who has again linked up with the New Wolsey Theatre for a production created especially for the region's youngest theatre goers.

Liquidizing Lizards, created by the renowned Liverpudlian children's author and poet Mary Swan, associate director at the Ipswich theatre, brings poetry to life and is a fast-moving show packed with audience participation for children aged seven to 11.

And the production features Lena Rae, Saul Jaffé and Denny James Smith, the same cast who earlier in the summer brought a comic book world to life in Daisy Jones and the Jellybean Conspiracy.

Mary, who has directed the show, said: "Brian has written some new material for the show but there are also poems from Juggling With Gerbils, Thawing Frozen Frogs and Gargling With Jelly.

"A story has been devised so everything will be brand new – it's a story in which the poems are brought to life."

"It's about a little boy called Danny who lives with his step-brother," she continued. "A poetry competition is announced at school and he really wants to enter but he's not great at spelling and can't think of anything to write about.

"The night before the poem has to be handed in the man in the moon helps out and introduces him to his friends from poetry land to see if he can find inspiration.

"It's a case of will he manage to enter and does he win."

Liquidizing Lizards started touring Suffolk schools yesterday and will continue until October 11. There will be a public performance at the New Wolsey's main stage at 11am on September 28.

Mary said: "It's good fun and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works in a theatre space compared to a school."

n Liquidizing Lizards will be at the New Wolsey Theatre at 11am on September 28.

All tickets cost £3.95 and are available at the New Wolsey box office in Civic Drive, Ipswich, by calling 01473 295900 or online at: www.wolseytheatre.co.uk