En Route, Luca Silvestrini's Protein, Woolwich

Luca Silvestrini is one of the most original and engaging storytellers working in the UK. With his own company Protein he's brought us unforgettable shows, such as Border Tales and the award-winning The Little Prince, where theatre, music and dance come together in the most harmonious way to tell stories as bewitching for adults as for children, all sprinkled with a little food for thought.

Now Silvestrini and Protein have conceived an open-air promenade show, En Route, which invites audiences to take part in a journey from Woolwich Common to Royal Arsenal Riverside, accompanied along the way by dance, live music and storytelling.

Audiences will meet at Woolwich Common and be guided in groups by a performer, encountering nature as they go. A stop at the 19th-century St George’s Garrison Church will give them a chance to enjoy the beautiful ruin and garden, before continuing down towards the river for the final performance at Royal Arsenal Riverside.

Given the isolation dictated by Covid-19 restrictions over the past year and more, En Route marks a return to the feeling of being together. This is Protein's first public performance since the start of the pandemic, and in Silvestrini's own words: 'We have chosen walking as a way of rebuilding and refreshing our relationships with people and the outdoors.'

Protein is based in the borough, and since March it's been engaging with dancers and local people with online and outdoor dance classes and interactive strolls in Woolwich. En Route draws from those experiences.

You'll need to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. You'll find all the information you need, as well as a map of the route, here.