This intimate theatrical storytelling performance brings Eric Carle’s world to life through handmade puppets, simple movement, and rich visual imagery. Featuring a simple narrative designed especially for very young audiences, the story unfolds at a calm, child-friendly pace, inviting children to watch, listen, and gently join in.
As the performance progresses, an entrancing glowing web slowly builds on stage as the spider spins, creating a quiet sense of wonder and anticipation.
Perfect for libraries, classrooms, and small performance spaces, the show focuses on storytelling rather than spectacle, offering a cosy, shared experience that supports attention, imagination, and a love of stories — even for first-time theatre-goers.
Duration: 45 minutes
Ages: 2–6 years
Themes: Creativity, patience, focus, and gentle problem-solving
Tone: Gentle, playful, and heartwarming — calm and reassuring, with soft humour, rhythmic storytelling, and moments of quiet wonder
Interactivity: The audience is warmly invited to take part throughout the show. Children repeat key words and phrases from the story, join in with simple movements, and participate in call-and-response moments. Familiar nursery rhymes about insects are woven into the storytelling, creating a highly interactive experience that supports engagement, language development, and confidence.
Sensory Notes: A calm, sensory-friendly experience created especially for very young children.
Visual Experience: A tactile, colourful world inspired by Eric Carle.
Languages: English and Hebrew
Weaving the Web:
A variety of fabrics and appliqué and patchwork techniques were used to create the glowing spider’s web, designed to light up in sections as the show unfolds, reflecting the spider’s careful, creative process.
Credits:
Written and Created by: Savannah Zwi
Based on the Book: The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Music: Nursery rhymes and known children's songs - musical arrangements by Phil Marks
Set, Prop, and Costume Design: Savannah Zwi
Musical Storytelling:
A joyful mix of much-loved nursery rhymes and children’s songs, arranged for calm, playful audience participation.
