A new dual-language production will see The Very Hungry Caterpillar performed in both English and Jèrriais for the first time this year as part of a local literary festival.
The new production, aimed at younger children, will be delivered directly to classrooms as part of the Jersey Festival of Words.
It celebrates the release of ‘La Carpéleuse Hardi Affanmée’, the newly-published Jèrriais translation of Eric Carle’s internationally-loved book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.
The show – by Flair Entertainment in partnership with the Jèrriais Teaching Service – is part of the festival’s week-long Schools Programme, which runs from 22 to 26 September and is supported by the Roy Overland Charitable Trust.
Jersey Festival of Words chair Lucy Cotter said the inclusion of Jèrriais reflected “a commitment to celebrating local language and identity”.
Alongside the bilingual performance, the programme features a series of author visits and interactive workshops designed to spark young imaginations.
Secondary school students will hear from bestselling authors, including Sarah Underwood and Tia Fisher.
At the Freedom Centre, comedian and author Helen Rutter will host a choose-your-own-adventure event based on her latest book ‘The Boy with the Big Decisions’, while motivational speaker Patrick Kane will present ‘Human 2.0’ – a talk exploring bionics and his personal experience with life-changing technology.
The week ends with children’s author and illustrator Kate Pankhurst encouraging younger pupils to invent, while Tom Vaughan will bring Greek myths to life through storytelling and quizzes based on his ‘Hero to Zero’ series.
Jersey Festival of Words takes place from 20 to 29 September, with more than 70 events across venues including the Arts Centre, Jersey Library, Havre des Pas, and Millennium Park.
Full details are available at online.
