Articulation will be sharing regular updates from our members to shine a spotlight on the amazing work emerging from our sector. Today, we’re featuring Glasgow-based multidisciplinary theatre makers Ruxy Cantir and Sarah Rose Graber. The duo have been working together since 2017, and will be returning to Aberdeen Performing Arts’ Lemon Tree with their hit show Unicorn Christmas Party from 30 November – 22 December 2024.
‘Tis the season and while many creative folks are preparing for their pantos, a couple of clowns are diving into something different… their hit show Unicorn Christmas Party. Created by Sarah Rose Graber and Ruxy Cantir, and produced by Raw Material, Unicorn Christmas Party is in its 4th year of performances this festive season after being nominated for ‘Best Production for Children and Young People’ at the 2024 CATS awards. Originally the show was part of a 3-year commission created by Aberdeen Performing Arts, Eden Court in Inverness, and Capital Theatres in Edinburgh. And this year, the team are delighted to be back where the show premiered – at Aberdeen Performing Arts’ Lemon Tree from 30 November – 22 December.
The show follows Melody and Luna, two unicorn pals preparing for their Christmas celebrations, until they get a message from their good pal Santa Claus. But there’s a big problem. Santa has lost his sparkle – and it’s all feeling a bit much this year. He doesn’t know why he’s doing this anymore… so Christmas will be cancelled.
But Melody and Luna have a brilliant idea! They know that a bit of unicorn spirit goes a long way. And since true unicorns shine bright, spread joy, are kind, and love to party, it’s time to deck the halls with cheer and turn up the jams! With the help of an audience filled with minicorns and biggiecorns, the more fun they have, the more sparkle they’ll create, and that will reach Santa all the way in the North Pole!
Featuring a soundtrack of Christmas hits, these magical, glittery creatures will bring happiness into everyone’s lives. They invite audiences to join in with easy-to-follow choreography, hand clapping and tail shaking fun for all ages, helping unlock people’s inner unicorn and finding the winter holiday joy within us all.
Ruxy Cantir and Sarah Rose Graber are Glasgow-based multidisciplinary theatre makers working together since 2017. The duo use collaborative devising to develop, perform and tour original work in visual theatre, clown and physical comedy across Scotland and internationally. Their past projects include Unicorn Dance Party, Two in a Barrel, The Dirty Laundry Campaign, The Refs, and Unicorn Christmas Party receiving critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Together they’ve been called “two enormous talents…authentically charming and humorous.” Individually, Cantir graduated from Furman University and holds an MFA in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre from Dell’Arte International. She recently toured her 5 star production of Pickled Republic across Scotland and teaches masterclasses in physical theatre and mask. While Graber graduated from Northwestern University and holds her Acting certificate from RADA. She’s a Circumnavigator having researched theatre for social change around the world, gave a TEDx talk on her explorations with creating serendipity in creative processes, and is the presenter of Imagine Learning’s popular youtube series SCOPE.
Coming up, Cantir and Graber are working on a new show called Voyager which is this year’s recipient of Manipulate Arts’ Creative Fund. Voyager is about NASA’s 1977 space mission which sent two spacecraft into the Solar System carrying a Golden Disc of sounds and images from Earth. Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting projects in the pipeline from Ruxy and Sarah Rose!
This year, the role of Melody in Unicorn Christmas Party is performed by Rachel Still. Rachel is a Glasgow-based multidisciplinary performer with over nine years’ experience in the youth arts sector. Since graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a BA (Hons) in Acting for Stage and Screen, they have collaborated with Manipulate Arts, Surge, Feral Arts and Starcatchers to create dynamic visual spectacles. Recent credits include; Cinderella (Brunton Theatre), Falling Star (Starcatchers), Cat Sith (Ludic Acid) and Downs with Love (Cutting Edge Theatre).
Unicorn Christmas Party producers Raw Material – is an award-winning, independent producing company based in Glasgow, founded by Margaret-Anne O’Donnell and Gillian Garrity. Recent productions include Love Beyond, The Stamping Ground, and the James Plays by Rona Munro, all having toured across Scotland in recent years and receiving widespread critical and audience acclaim.
To find out more about Unicorn Christmas Party and to purchase tickets, please visit the Aberdeen Performing Arts website via the button below.
You can also read reviews of Unicorn Christmas Party on the following websites:
