Free theatre reaches pupils in their own school halls

At City Academy in east Bristol, pupils watched a professional play about belonging and British identity without leaving school. For 12-year-old Elizabeth Yeboah, seeing racism discussed on stage made her want to visit the theatre more often.

Bristol Old Vic is bringing performances to schools free of charge, removing ticket and transport costs that can put trips out of reach. Its young MIB260 company is touring two plays, with organisers now expecting to reach up to 4,000 pupils across 19 secondary schools.

The theatre’s programme description explains that both scripts grew from conversations with young people. Workshops also explore the plays’ themes and how theatre is made.

The projected audience is not a completed attendance total, and the reporting does not measure lasting educational effects.

But pupils’ responses at City Academy show what removing the journey can offer: a shared live performance, followed by questions to the writer, in a place they already know.

Sources

• The Guardian — Bristol Old Vic tackles arts ‘emergency’ by bringing the theatre into classrooms
• Bristol Old Vic — Taking free theatre directly into secondary schools