Portsmouth’s Pontine Theatre brings their “toy theatre” to Tamworth as they present original adaptations of two stories by New England authors:

Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron,” published in 1886, is a coming of age story about a young city girl, Sylvia, who comes to live with her grandmother in the country. She meets a young ornithologist who is hunting a rare bird he recently spotted in the area. Sylvia wants to please the young man by revealing the heron’s location, yet doesn’t want him to take its life. In the end, she embraces her passion for country life and the natural world around her.

Robert Frost’s “The Star Splitter,” published in 1923, explores the conflict between societal expectations and individual passions. A farmer’s reckless pursuit of a telescope leads to the loss of his farm and home. This loss initially evokes ridicule from the townspeople. However, their subsequent contemplation reveals the importance of forgiveness and understanding. Frost uses the image of a telescope, "a star-splitter," as a symbol of the farmer’s "life long curiosity about our place among the infinities.”

Interaction with the artists and viewing of the “toy theatre” is possible after the performance.

Tickets: Cost $10 each. Members receive a $2 refund after purchase. Suitable for ages 14 and above; seating is limited to 40 attendees.

ABOUT PONTINE THEATRE From the Theatre’s website

“Since 1977, Pontine Theatre has been an active participant in the development of actor-based theatre, creating work that is engaging, innovative and original. Co-Artistic Directors, Marguerite Mathews and Gregory Gathers, have produced over fifty original works. Creating and performing these works, Pontine has introduced their unique form of theatre to audiences throughout New England, transforming audience interest in gestural theatre, puppetry, toy theatre and storytelling into enthusiasm for this distinctive synthesis of forms.
“In choosing projects for our at-home performance series and subsequent tours, we endeavor to reflect the interests of the audiences we serve. We are fortunate to live and work in a region with a particularly rich history and a citizenry deeply interested in this legacy. As other cultural organizations work to preserve historic landmarks and significant architecture, we have dedicated many of our performances to celebrating classic works of New England literature: some well-known, others obscure gems. We also create works based on original research that explore various aspects of New England culture and history.

“...Our intimately-scaled chamber productions are an ideal fit for the small town audiences.... The intimate scale of our productions reflects an aesthetic choice to magnify the theatrical power and artistic integrity of our work through concentrated attention to the details of each element comprising the whole.”