Thought all the dinosaurs were squished by a meteorite millions of years ago? Think again! A few lucky ones managed to escape into space in a rocket and are living happily up there, even now!
It’s Rrraaaraaagh’s birthday, and finally they’re ready to make their way in the spaceworld as a fully fledged astro-saur. As the other dinos gather to celebrate, they sing (in their special dinosaur language) about their lucky escape from Earth all those years ago.
They experienced the destruction of Earth once and now they can sense, from across the universe, that it could be happening again. Will humans also try to come to space? Can Rrraaaraaagh help them to fix things before it’s too late?
Featuring three of the most hilariously idiotic dino-nauts you’ll ever meet, this show will delight audiences of 4+ and accompanying space pilots, with live songs, clowning, puppetry and animated illustrations specially created for the show with Chris Riddell (Ottoline series, Edge Chronicles, Observer political cartoonist).
A new piece of original family theatre from the team behind Spymonkey’s Hairy. This laugh-out-loud show will introduce children to the wonders of high-quality, physical comedy, following Spymonkey’s three decades’ of creating internationally acclaimed touring theatre.
If you’re a venue interested in programming the show for 2028, please contact our Exec Producer – emilycoleman@spymonkey.co.uk
Devised and directed by Toby Park & Aitor Basauri
Music composed by Toby Park
Designed by Lucy Bradridge
Illustration by Chris Riddell
Other creatives tbc
Performing ensemble: 3 multi-skilled performers
Click here to get the vibe of Hairy…. [https://spymonkey.co.uk/show/hairy/] but careful not to get ‘Gonna Get Hairy’ stuck in your head for days!
Founder, co-creator and performer of all Spymonkey shows to date. Performed in The Servant of Two Masters at Sheffield Crucible (1996), Axomate at the Seville Expo (1992), Eulenspiegel (1991) and in Karl’s Kuhne Gassenchau’s Grand Paradis and Stau in Zurich (1997 and 1998). Director of Little Prince for Donkey Productions (1997), Un Vento Impetuoso for La Canoppia (1996) and Meci Y Me Fui for Pez Enraya ( 1997). In 1999 he appeared in Circus Knie, the Swiss State Circus, and in 2000 formed his own company Punto Fijo, based in Bilbao. Appeared in Cirque Images’ 2003 series Solstrom for Bravo Cable Network. Appeared in Bertold Brecht’s Senor Carrera’s Rifles at the Young Vic, directed by Paul Hunter (2007).
Directing credits include: ‘Lily & Marlene’ for La Dinamica (Spain 2015); ’Looking for Duende’ for Teatro Entre Escombros (Spain 2015); ’Hondycops’ for Squadra Sua (Czech Republic 2015); ’Ferucchio Peru is Extraordinaire’ for Leebo Luby (UK 2015); Manifest Destiny (New York 2015); Fabulous Bäckström Brothers (Finland 2014); Entre Escobros ‘600 Teatro’ (Spain 2014); ‘Gloriator’ for Skipstick Productions (London 2013); ‘NMIIDP’ Simone Riccio, (London 2013); ‘Herr Ist Immer Der Natur’ for Die Drei Auf Den Baum (Berlin 2012); ‘Discombobulated’ for Publick Transport (Bristol & UK tour, 2011); ‘Ramshackadelicious’ (Bristol 2011); ‘Shake’ for The Last Baguette (Switzerland 2010). Director of physical comedy for Chichester Festival Theatre’s ‘Mack & Mabel’ (2015) starring Michael Ball. Co-director of Orpheus in the Underworld at Vienna Volksoper operahouse which opens in 2023.
Aitor is an acclaimed teacher of clown, regularly leading Spymonkey training in London, New York, Maine, Los Angeles and around the world, and for the Clown Doctors organisation in Germany, Austria and France.
Studied Drama at Hull University, and trained at Fool Time Circus School, Bristol, and with Philippe Gaulier and Monika Pagneaux in Paris.
Toby co-created all Spymonkey shows to date. He performed in Stiff (1998-2011), Cooped (2001-2019), Zumanity with Cirque du Soleil (2003-2005), Bless (2007), Moby Dick (2009), Love In (2010), Oedipussy (2012), Mrs Hudson’s Christmas Corker (2014), Every Last Trick (2014), The Complete Deaths (2016), Christmas Carol (2018), The Frogs (2024).
From 1994-97 he was co-musical director and actor with Karl’s Kuhne Gassenchau in Zurich; member of the Improbable Theatre Lifegame company (1998-2000) including an off-Broadway run.
Musical director and composer for: all Spymonkey shows to date; Guy Dartnell’s Would Say Something (1998); acro-dance-theatre Mimbre’s Sprung (2001), Trip-Tic (2003) and The Bridge (2007); site-specific pieces with Graeme Gilmour at Kielder Water Northumberland (2006) and Forth & Clyde Canal Glasgow (2007), and with Phil Supple/The Electric Estate for the National Trust at Cragside Northumberland.
Appeared in Sandi Toksvig’s Christmas Cracker starring Ronnie Corbett at the Royal Festival Hall (2009). TV appearances include Cirque Images’ 2003 series Solstrom for Bravo Cable Network and BBC2 Hyperdrive.
Director of Fabulous Bäckström Brothers, a clown opera in Helsinki (2014), and Big Bang Siegfried for Orchestra Hagen Germany (2016), Enter The Dragons for A&E Comedy (2017); co-director of The Flop for Hijinx Theatre Cardiff; Director of physical comedy for Chichester Festival Theatre’s Mack & Mabel (2015); RSC’s Merry Wives of Windsor (2018); Tartuffe (2019) and Jack Absolute Flies Again (2022) for National Theatre; Hello Dolly! (2024) for Michael Harrington Productions.
Co-director of Orpheus in the Underworld (2023, 2024, 2025) for Volksoper Vienna and Spymonkey’s Hairy (2023).
Emily has been part of Spymonkey since 2014 and works closely with Toby on all areas of the company’s artistic and business development. She project managed the creation and UK and international touring of The Complete Deaths as well as A Christmas Carol and oversees all elements of the company, as well as leading on how we embed equality, diversity and inclusivity in our productions and training programme. Emily is proud to be working with Spymonkey as one of the only project-funded theatre companies in the UK making work consistently on the mid-scale.
As an independent producer she is an advocate for the importance of the independent arts sector and was strategic producer for In Good Company, the Midlands’ flagship artist development programme between 2017-2023 supporting regional theatre makers to thrive alongside a consortium of venues. Emily’s previous work includes making interactive digital experiences and commissioning inspiring, challenging and surprising projects with children and families. She has also worked with The Future is Unwritten Theatre, Bootworks, Hannah Walker and Chris Thorpe and was Press Officer for the comedy and live music venue Komedia between 2010 and 2017. Her previous experience is in venue management at theatres including Komedia, Gardner Arts Centre and Farnham Maltings.
Lucy Bradridge has been an associate artist with Spymonkey since 1998 and has designed all its productions except the recent A Christmas Carol. Her many collaborations with the clown director Cal McCrystal include Alan Ayckbourn’s Mr Whatnot at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Bubonic Play and Hello Dalai for Piggy Nero, Between a Rock and a Hard Place for Cambridge Footlights, and Fitzrovia Radio’s Dracula at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester. Her design credits also include AutoBoosh for the Mighty Boosh, the clown costume design for Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai and Zumanity, Heroes for Company FZ, Moonjourney by Alice Lowe, New Art Club’s Trials of Hercules, and Gloves On and Our Dancing Feet for the Ragroof Players. Her television credits include Orcadia, and Comedy Lab and The Last Chancers for Channel 4. Her film credits include The Wild and Wycked World of Brian Jones, Out of Water and Queen Bee.
Chris Riddell is an accomplished illustrator and author. He served as the Children’s Laureate 2015-2017, and has been the political cartoonist for the Observer since 1995. He has enjoyed great acclaim for his books for children, including the Goth Girl and Ottoline series. Chris has been honoured with an OBE in recognition of his illustration, campaigning and charity work. Awards include 3 Kate Greenaway medals and the Costa Book Award. Dinosaurs In Space marks the fourth collaboration with Chris, including the Great Shakespearean Deaths card game we made alongside our production of The Complete Deaths.
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