Blast

If you enjoy theatre, dance and magnificent masks then this is the festival for you!

National, international and local practitioners will be performing during the festival with the main attraction being a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream performed by Footsbarn Travelling Theatre from France.

Mask by Michael Chase

Other performers include: Dudley Performing Arts, Trading Faces, Mas Soegeng, The Steven Whinnery Company and many more.

Through workshops the family can explore the history, emotions, art and humour behind the mask and you can even win one of the 200 masks from around the globe that will be shown in the face to face exhibition.

The man behind it all

I went to visit the man behind the festival Michael Chase, a mask maker, actor, teacher and director who has been working in the field for 28 years and has been with the Glasshouse for seven.

Festival Director Michael Chase

''I was originally a trained musician and I came across masks when I was performing in Italy," he said. "There was someone there who was using mask as part of mime and immediately I was taken in with interest."

Michael learned how to make masks in Bali and Italy and a number of theatre companies have since employed his skills. He now provides masks and training for performance, education and therapy.

''Since being at the Glasshouse I have used mask in a therapeutic way to help young children. The mask is used to capture emotion and a way of understanding yourself and others."

Mask by Steven Whinnery

''I have lived with masks day in, day out, year in, year out, and now I am left with the question: Who is there when the mask goes on? Who am I anyway?''

Don't miss out!

Come and share the magic and excitement at the International Mask Festival which will be held between October 19th-27th 2007. It's open daily from 11am-7.30pm at the Glasshouse Arts Centre and Stourbridge Town Hall.

For more information on the festival, performances, and bookings go on www.internationalmaskfestival.com