THE NAMES OF THE BEASTIE

20 Feb 2012: I Just finished a week of Lone Twin’s Beastie at Southbank – halfterm during their Imagine Festival. It was mayhem, and the kids loved it.  Beastie was sung home by a choir of 300 superheroes at the close: a terrific finish…During the show, as either Laura Cubitt or I are getting dressed as the Beastie, the children create its backstory – coming up with where it’s from, what it’s doing here, what it likes, it dislikes, it’s afraid of, how does it act when it feels these things, etc.  Once Beastie is complete, and it’s asleep in its chair, the last thing we ask the kids to do is come up with a name. Here are all the names chosen so far…

In London:  Minky, Marbles, Thorous, Ben Moony EPF (= Elite Penguin Force). Backhorn, Rockstar, Herbert Sherbert, Mr Susan. Nit and Uniblack.Graz: Schwarz-Weissi (Black-Whitey), Lukas, Frau Schneemann (Mrs Snowman). Beastillini, Didi, Heimo and Riesenkralle (Giantclaws). The kids in the show with Riesenkralle began chanting this name whenever Beastie stopped - in a spooky quiet singsong voice: “Riesenkralle… Riesenkralle… Riesenkralle…” It kind of freaked me out a little.

Newcastle: Lucky, Norbert, Doodle, Cooper Trooper and Gus. My friend Dominic came up with Cooper Trooper.

Newham: Beastwhack, King Nathan and Big Jolly Junior.

Weston: Allana, Pimple, Selawney, Eunice, Shadow.  Roast Turkey (one of my favorites) and Bing Bang Bop.

Finland: Bub, Dille (also name of a kid's pet rat), Bosti, Perti, Peko Makelainen (which means Troll Makelainen), Pöntsikkä (Big Belly).  Otso, Kalle and Sikki.

Hackney: Bumpy, Hairy Girl, Beatrice, Saviper, Beechum the Beastie, Landrover. Zoggerman, Casper, Harry McCarry and Splurge.

Southbank: Cheese, Fluffy, Itey (a backwards Yeti), Ash, Bumpetty. Horsion (combination horse & lion), Starlight, Snowflake. Marley, Garda (after Lake Garda in Tuscany, where this group decided Beastie was from), Skellety, Ruffy, Agatha and Ted.