Moon River
Created and performed by Phoebe Hyder
Thu 14 – Sat 16 August 2025
The Nest, Chichester Festival Theatre
🎟️ Tickets now on sale
About the Show
In a quiet cabin beside the River Findhorn in Scotland, a girl tries to remember how to tie a fishing fly. Feathers, thread, and memory twist together as the water whispers outside. As she moves through the familiar motions, the space around her begins to stir — objects wake, and the past flows in.
Moon River is a non-verbal, semi-autobiographical solo performance by Phoebe Hyder. It blends puppetry, movement, and immersive XR (extended reality) technologies to explore grief, memory, and the quiet, intimate ritual of fly fishing. Through a visual, sensory landscape, the story unfolds without dialogue — delicate, haunting, and deeply human.
This is a show about what we carry, what we release, and the transformations that happen in the spaces in between.
The Process
Moon River has been developed over several years, shaped by Phoebes personal experience of loss, time spent in nature, fishing, water, and a fascination with how memory lives in the body. The work began with 2 RnDs at CFT and then further field research in the Scottish Highlands — collecting sounds, images, and tactile materials — and grew through composition, puppetry workshops, XR testing, and creative collaboration.
The show is supported by Chichester Festival Theatre’s Artist Development Programme, led by Artistic Director Justin Audibert and Creative Associate Sophie Hobson. The programme provides vital time, space, mentorship, and technical resources to help emerging artists push the boundaries of their practice.
What is XR Theatre?
XR (Extended Reality) is an umbrella term for technologies that merge physical and digital worlds — including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and projection mapping. In Moon River, XR isn't just a visual spectacle — it's an emotional tool.
Using projection mapping, subtle sound design, and responsive digital environments, the cabin transforms: a wall becomes a river, a shadow becomes a memory, a flicker of light becomes a presence. These effects create immersive layers that shift with the performer’s movements, evoking the fluid, often fragile ways we experience memory, grief, and healing.
Rather than placing the audience inside a headset, Moon River uses XR to activate the space around them — drawing them in while allowing each viewer space to interpret, reflect, and feel.
Premiere Details
Moon River premieres at The Nest, Chichester Festival Theatre’s brand-new studio space, from Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 August 2025. The premiere marks a significant milestone in the project’s journey and offers audiences a first look at this intimate, innovative production.
Show Blurb
Step into an old, dusty fishing cabin, where echoes of a life once lived linger in the air. Amidst forgotten memories, a spark ignites, unraveling the space into a vibrant, magical world. Moon River is a personal journey of grief, loss, and fly fishing — told through visual storytelling, puppetry, and extraordinary XR technologies.
🎟️ Tickets now available: https://thenest.cft.org.uk/events/moon-river
Creative Team
David Gilbert
Director
David is a Zimbabwean director with credits at Kiln, National Theatre, Young Vic, Almeida and more. He specialises in devised and ensemble theatre, currently with Talawa and Trybe House.
Favourite moment: April R&D bringing creative voices into one space.
Dan Sareen
Co-writer
Dan is a playwright and producer, artistic director of Want the Moon Theatre. His debut Passing was nominated for OffWestEnd and Asian Media Awards. He develops work with Arcola and King’s Head Theatre.
Favourite moment: Seeing integrated tech storytelling during the WIP sharing.
Caitlin Mawhiney
Set and Costume Designer
Caitlin was the winner of the Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund in 2021 and has been recognised with a double-nomination for Best Designer at The Stage Debut Awards. Her work spans major national venues and explores the line between realism and abstraction.
Favourite moment: Getting to R&D with all the creatives in the room!
Connor Divers
Lighting Designer
Connor is a London-based Cumbrian lighting designer whose portfolio includes productions at Riverside Studios, The Omnibus, HOME Manchester, and Teatro Blu in Milan.
Favourite moment: Seeing Moon River grow from R&D to a full show!
Thomas Buckley
Creative Technologist
Thomas is an alumni fellow of the RSC and associate artist at Portsmouth Guildhall. His work combines XR with human-centered storytelling, especially highlighting marginalised voices.
Favourite moment: It all coming together.
Play Office
Technology Partner
PLAY OFFICE is a studio incubated by Sustainable Conservation Trust and Thomas Buckley. It supports artists developing dynamic, responsive, heritage-driven practices for the future.
Favourite moment: Working with an exciting team of creatives.
CCIXR – Alex Counsell, Samuel Birmingham, Harry Salter
Consultation & Technical Support
The Centre for Creative and Immersive eXtended Reality at University of Portsmouth supports training and innovation in XR. The team offers world-class R&D facilities for immersive projects.
Favourite moment: Collaborating with such passionate talent!
Andreas Ayling
Production Manager
Andreas began in the electrics department of Phantom of the Opera, West End. Now a seasoned Production Manager, he’s worked across theatre, immersive experiences, and major TV productions including Loki and Bridgerton.
Favourite moment: Working with a new, talented team to bring the show to life in a brand new venue.
James Turnbull
Advisor / Producer
James is a creative producer focused on emergent performance technologies. He brings innovation and holistic thinking to collaborative projects across the UK theatre landscape.
Favourite moment: The broad love and care for this story by Phoebe and the team.
ChewBoy Productions (George & Hal)
Videographers
Multi-award-winning creators of rich video content, ChewBoy Productions work nationally with over 24 team members and serve as resident videographers for theatres including Pleasance and Drayton Arms.
Favourite moment: GOING TO INVERNESS!!
Steve Tiplady
Puppet Director
Steve has been working with puppets since 1987. He formed Indefinite Articles with Sally Todd in 1995, performing over 2500 times in 15 countries. Awarded by Time Out for 'Dust', and known internationally for 'Claytime', Steve's work has left a major mark on object theatre. He has worked with the RSC, NT, ROH, and more, and directed over 75 puppet shows.
Holly Groves
Puppet Designer and Maker
Holly designs and hand carves puppets from lime wood in her home studio. Moon River marks her debut as both designer and maker for a professional show.
Favourite moment: Seeing the work come together in final rehearsals.
Bill Vine
Composer
Bill is a composer and sound artist. His work incorporates field recording and composition. He's Composer-in-Residence at Norwich Puppet Theatre and has been commissioned by Gavin Bryars Ensemble.
Favourite moment: Looking forward to seeing the finished piece.
