Unicorn Theatre Secondary Schools' Programme | 2019 - 2020

SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ PROGRAMME 2019-20

2

HELPING YOU KEEP CREATIVE LEARNING AT THE HEART OF CHILDREN’S LIVES We know that cuts are affecting schools across the country, and we applaud the teachers and schools who continue to go the extra mile to stand up for a rich and balanced education, finding ways to make creative learning and creative experiences part of students’ lives. We know that isn’t easy. We share your tenacity, belief and commitment to making a difference to young people.

Our remit is to create a wide range of new, inspiring and engaging plays for young people, and to ensure that children and teenagers from all backgrounds and cultures, and of all ages and abilities, can access our theatre.

If you are a school that wants to make the arts core to your curriculum planning, we would love to hear from you to discuss how we can work together. If you are looking for creative professional development for your staff to boost skills and confidence in using drama and creative learning approaches in the classroom, then we have free CPD sessions and resource packs that will help.

We know the impact that theatre and creative learning can have on young people, and we want to give students access to great art and the chance to experience new ideas, art forms and ways of seeing the world. We also know that seeing our shows and engaging with our resources supports literacy, learning across the curriculum and the development of confidence.

Make us your creative partner for the year ahead.

AT A GLANCE AUTUMN TERM

MAGGOT MOON

Years 7 – 9

CHRISTMAS OSCAR WILDE'S

THE CANTERVILLE GHOST

Years 7 – 11

SPRING & SUMMER TERM

THE BEE IN ME

I, CINNA (THE POET)

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

Year 7

Years 7 – 9

Years 7 – 11

1

THE YEAR 7 PROJECT Bring all your Year 7 to see Maggot Moon and receive a six-week scheme of learning and a teacher CPD session designed to support students’ transition into their first year of secondary school. Tickets £7.50 per student for non-fee-paying schools.

The scheme of learning uses drama to develop students’ confidence, communication skills, self-esteem and emotional literacy, build positive relationships through collaboration, and encourage students’ own creative responses.

For more information contact schools@unicorntheatre.com.

AUTUMN TERM

FOR YEARS 7 – 9 A Unicorn Production

MAGGOT

MOON

“THE BEST THING WE HAVE IS OUR IMAGINATION…” Based on the novel by Sally Gardner Adapted for the stage by Jemma Kennedy Directed by Jesse Jones

SCHOOLS PERFORMANCES

In a sinister 1950s Britain, the country is under the rule of the violent and oppressive Motherland. Dark government forces are at work. Spies and surveillance are everywhere, and the truth is difficult to discern.

Fri 27 11am

OCTOBER

Wed 2 10.30am Thu 3 1pm / 7pm Fri 4 11am Tue 8 11am Wed 9 10.15am / 2pm Thu 10 10.15am / 2pm Fri 11 10.30am Tue 15 11am Wed 16 11am Thu 17 10.30am / 2pm Fri 18 11am

Meet our hero Standish Treadwell: he is fifteen, he lives with his grandpa, and although his teachers are part of the regime, together he and grandpa are safe.

But then one day, Standish’s best friend disappears. And suddenly all their lives are in terrible danger.

Can Standish be the hero who will save them all?

Live drawing, cameras and projection bring Sally Gardner’s dazzlingly original, award-winning novel to life, in this story about protecting the ones you love and having the courage to stand up for what you believe.

Our free teacher resource pack explores the rules of the Motherland (the totalitarian state in which the play is set), Standish and Hector’s friendship, and the nature of Standish’s sacrifice in this dystopian David and Goliath story.

Duration: Approx 1 hr Contains occasional use of strong language – please contact us if you would like more information.

SEPTEMBER Thu 26 10.30am

Oct Half Term: Sat 19 – Sun 27 Oct 2019 This show runs from 26 Sep – 27 Oct 2019.

See website for full dates and times.

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT FREE TEACHER CPD DAY Thu 19 Sep 4.30pm – 7pm

FREE TEACHER RESOURCES In-depth lesson plans and teaching ideas 3

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT FREE TEACHER CPD DAY Mon 14 Oct 10am – 4pm

FREE TEACHER RESOURCES In-depth lesson plans and teaching ideas

CHRISTMAS

FOR YEARS 7 – 11 A Unicorn Production

OSCAR WILDE’S THE

CANTERVILLE

GHOST

GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS...

Adapted by Anthony Weigh Directed by Justin Audibert

SCHOOLS PERFORMANCES

This wonderfully witty, delightfully spooky retelling of Oscar Wilde’s 1887 comic novel is brought to life this Christmas with spinetingling magic, spectacular illusions and ghoulish effects.

NOVEMBER Tue 12 1pm

Mr and Mrs Otis and their boisterous children arrive from America to move into Canterville Chase – a rather old, rather creepy Gothic mansion. Of course, like all the best old mansions, the Chase comes with its own ghost – the rather tormented Sir Simon Canterville.

The spectral knight does his best to spook the trespassers from his ancestral home but his ghostly machinations hold no fear for this rational modern family.

Sir Simon succumbs to utter despair until he meets young Virginia Otis, who sees him for who he really is…

Our free teacher resource pack explores what it is that we like (and don’t like) about being scared, magic and illusion, rationality and superstition, and the amazing inventions of the 19th century.

Duration: Approx 2 hrs (incl. interval)

Wed 13 10.30am Fri 15 11am Tue 19 10.30am Wed 20 1pm / 7pm Thu 21 1pm Fri 22 11am Tue 26 11am Wed 27 10.30am Thu 28 1pm Fri 29 10.30am

DECEMBER Tue 3

11am Wed 4 10.30am Thu 5 10.30am / 2.30pm Fri 6 11am Tue 10 10.30am / 2.30pm Wed 11 11am Thu 12 11am Tue 17 10.30am / 2.30pm Wed 18 11am

Christmas Holidays: Thu 19 Dec 2019 – Sun 5 Jan 2020 This show runs from 10 Nov 2019 – 5 Jan 2020.

See website for full dates and times.

5

SPRING / SUMMER TERM

FOR YEAR 7

THE BEE A Unicorn Production

INME LET’S FLY AWAY.

By Roland Schimmelpfennig Translated by David Tushingham Directed by Rachel Bagshaw One ordinary boy living an ordinary life.

Every day the same: parents still asleep, late again for school, can’t find his clean trousers. But today is different. Today is a game. Today he has wings.

Fly out of your room. Congratulations!

Level two. Get dressed, find breakfast, don’t wake your parents, get to school, reach level three, keep going… Don’t get flattened… Level four…

Rachel Bagshaw directs the UK premiere of The Bee In Me, written by one of Germany’s most exciting contemporary writers. Full of warmth and sorrow, this dreamlike, kaleidoscopic play resonates with the energy of a child and perfectly expresses the power of our imagination to set us free.

Our free teacher resource pack explores the boy’s creation of a computer game as a way of escaping his reality, and how he develops the skills and resilience he needs to survive.

Duration: Approx 1 hr 10 mins

SCHOOLS PERFORMANCES JANUARY

Fri 31 10.30am

FEBRUARY Wed 5 11am

Thu 6 1pm / 7pm Fri 7 11am Tue 11 11am Wed 12 10.30am / 2pm Thu 13 10.30am / 2pm Fri 14 10.30am Tue 25 11am Wed 26 11am Thu 27 10.30am / 2pm Fri 28 10.30am

Feb Half Term: Sat 15 – Sun 23 Feb 2020 This show runs from 31 Jan – 1 Mar 2020.

See website for full dates and times.

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT FREE TEACHER CPD DAY Mon 25 Nov 10am – 4pm

FREE TEACHER RESOURCES In-depth lesson plans and teaching ideas 7

SPRING / SUMMER TERM

FOR YEARS 7 – 9

I,(CINNA) A Unicorn Production

THE POET

WRITE A REVOLUTION. Written and performed by Tim Crouch Directed by Naomi Wirthner The poet Cinna hardly says a word in Julius Caesar before he’s mistaken for someone else and torn to pieces by an angry mob.

He’s Shakespeare’s unluckiest character.

Now Cinna searches for the subject of his next poem and invites us, the audience, to write with him, live.

This brilliantly clear introduction to Julius Caesar is a unique and warmly engaging solo show about words and actions, art, protest and power.

Tim Crouch is an internationally renowned playwright and theatre-maker. I, Cinna (the poet) is the fifth play in a series about Shakespeare’s minor characters. Tim’s recent play Beginners premiered at the Unicorn in 2018 and won the Writers’ Guild Award for best play for young audiences.

SCHOOLS PERFORMANCES FEBRUARY Wed 5 10.30am

Thu 6 11am Fri 7 10.30am Tue 11 10.30am / 2pm Wed 12 1pm / 7pm Thu 13 10.15am / 1.45pm Fri 14 11am Tue 25 10.30am / 2pm Wed 26 10.30am / 2pm Thu 27 1pm Fri 28 11am

Feb Half Term: Sat 15 – Sun 23 Feb 2020 This show runs from 5 – 29 Feb 2020.

See website for full dates and times.

Duration: Approx 1 hr

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT FREE TEACHER CPD DAY Thu 16 Jan 4.30pm – 7pm

FREE TEACHER RESOURCES In-depth lesson plans and teaching ideas 9

SPRING / SUMMER TERM

FOR YEARS 7 – 11

GULLIVER’S A Unicorn Production

TRAVELS A WONDROUS WORLD, A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. Inspired by the book by Jonathan Swift

By Lulu Raczka Directed by Sam Yates

SCHOOLS PERFORMANCES

This perfect family Easter show is an adventure-filled modern adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s surreal masterpiece.

Three bored teenagers left behind in the school gym. Together, with camera, projector and props, they bring vividly to life Gulliver’s adventures of brutish Yahoos, belligerent Lilliputians, giant Brobdingnagians and wise Houyhnhnms.

Award-winning film and theatre director Sam Yates (one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow 2016) and TV screenwriter and playwright Lulu Raczka blend film and live performance in this playful, funny and highly inventive production that uses Swift’s biting satire to view our own world from a very different angle.

Our free teacher resource pack explores how creating imaginary lands can help us see the values and customs of our own worlds afresh.

Duration: Approx 1 hr 30 mins

MARCH

APRIL

Tue 17 11am Wed 18 10.30am Fri 20 11am Tue 24 11am Wed 25 11am Thu 26 1pm / 7pm Fri 27 11am Tue 31 11am Wed 1 10.15am / 2pm Thu 2 10.15am / 2pm Tue 21 10.30am Wed 22 11am Thu 23 10.15am / 2pm Tue 28 10.30am Wed 29 11am Thu 30 10.30am

Easter Holidays: Sat 4 – Sun 19 Apr 2020 This show runs from 15 Mar – 3 May 2020.

See website for full dates and times.

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT FREE TEACHER CPD DAY Wed 22 Jan 4.30pm – 7pm

FREE TEACHER RESOURCES In-depth lesson plans and teaching ideas 11

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT GET MORE FROM A THEATRE TRIP FOR YOUR STUDENTS.

TEACHER CPD Our CPD sessions are free and provide ideas and inspiration for teachers who wish to explore the plays practically and in more depth back in the classroom. CPD supports specialist drama teaching at Key stages 3, 4 and 5 as well as being useful for teachers from across a range of other subjects.

There are sessions for Maggot Moon, Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost, The Bee In Me, I, Cinna (the poet) and Gulliver’s Travels.

BACKSTAGE

TOURS Explore what’s happening backstage and find out what really goes into making a play.

Can be booked pre- or postshow, or as a stand-alone event.

POST-SHOW

TALKS

Contact us if you would like to book a free postshow talk along with your visit. These talks cannot be guaranteed, but we will always offer them where we can. Enquiries should be made at least four weeks ahead of the performance date.

‘The level of questioning and debate that came out of it was fantastic.’ Teacher

RESOURCE

PACKS

Created with our partner schools, resource packs are full of useful information about the show, and interviews with the creative teams. They also contain flexible lesson plans that will deepen your students’ engagement with the theatre experience, before and after your visit.

Part 1 of our resource packs is online now, and contains an overview and interviews with key creative team members. Part 2 of the packs contains drama activities that have been created by our team of experts and tested out with our Collaborate partner school. Part 2 is released in time for the teacher CPD associated with the show.

We are creating resource packs for Maggot Moon, Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost, The Bee In Me and Gulliver’s Travels.

Resources can be downloaded from our website or from our Issuu channel.

‘They have allowed us to develop a whole term’s worth of learning and given the children a very secure base to work from.’

Teacher

13

PARTNERSHIP The Unicorn Theatre is a registered charity and we need to raise £500,000 every year in order to keep our doors open to you.

We ensure that our theatre is accessible to everyone and subsidise all our tickets, in part thanks to generous funding by The McGrath Trust who support thousands of schools visits every year.

THE YEAR 7 PROJECT Bring all of your Year 7 to see Maggot Moon and receive a six-week scheme of learning and a teacher CPD session designed to support students’ transition into their first year of secondary school. Tickets £7.50 per student for non-fee-paying schools.

The scheme of learning uses drama to develop students’ confidence, communication skills, self-esteem and emotional literacy, build positive relationships through collaboration, and encourage students’ own creative responses.

For more information contact schools@unicorntheatre.com.

SEEKING ACCESS SCHOOL PARTNERS We are looking for access schools, or special units, who would like to partner with us. We would like to offer you heavily subsidised tickets in order to help make your trips possible, and may be able to add a Relaxed, Audio Described or Captioned performance on a date that suits you (subject to availability). Visit the website to find out more and to apply.

JOIN THE UNICORN SCHOOLS CLUB – MORE TRIPS FOR LESS MONEY This membership scheme supports you to make more visits by offering cheaper tickets if you book at least two trips and 100 or more tickets overall. Membership promotes creative learning within a school and comes with added benefits such as extra free tickets for parents to attend on schools trips, and raffle prizes for school fundraising events. See the back page for more details or visit our secondary schools webpage for a downloadable pack and online form.

PROGRAMMES APPLY FOR SUBSIDY Thanks to The McGrath Trust we are able to offer support to non-fee-paying schools who are unable to visit us for financial reasons. We particularly seek out schools with high levels of pupil premium funding or free school meals, and schools looking to introduce their students and their families to theatre for the first time.

Subsidy is offered on an ad hoc basis for certain shows throughout the year. If you would like to be considered for subsidy, please complete our Theatre Subsidy form on the secondary schools webpage.

UNICORN YEAR OF THEATRE PROGRAMME Our new scheme, A Unicorn Year of Theatre, is about demonstrating what a difference a year working with us can make, ensuring that students from across the school can access theatre visits and participate in creative experiences to support learning.

Every year we pick a small handful of different non-fee-paying schools to be part of this highly subsidised scheme. We are looking for schools for whom funding cuts are a barrier to attendance, where there is a high level of pupil premium funding or where the majority of parents would be unable to make financial contributions to extra-curricular activities.

To find out more and to apply, visit our secondary schools webpage for a downloadable form. Recruitment closes mid-June every year.

COLLABORATE PARTNERSHIP Collaborate is an intensive year-long programme with one secondary school that offers teachers and students unparalleled access to theatre and opportunities to work with professional theatre makers.

Recruitment usually closes mid-June every year. Interested schools will need to fill in an application form and to outline why they would like to take part. Full details of the programme and how to apply are available on the secondary schools webpage.

To find out more email schools@unicorntheatre.com

15

‘A theatre which is at the heart of contemporary theatre-making and playwriting…’

The Guardian

‘Thrilling, cliché-free, unexpected work’ Time Out

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY FREE SEASON LAUNCH FREE PRESS EVENT FOR TEACHERS NIGHT TICKETS Thu 3 Oct 2019, 5.15pm Join us for wine and cheese and a short talk about our season by our new Artistic Director, Justin Audibert.

Hear more about how we can work with your school, share your thoughts on creative learning and get a chance to see the press night of Maggot Moon at 7pm, joining us for the postshow party. Booking required.

Enjoy one of our evening shows with colleagues or friends and stay for the press night party afterwards.

Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost Wed 20 Nov, 7pm The Bee In Me Thu 6 Feb, 7pm I, Cinna (the poet) Wed 12 Feb 7pm Gulliver’s Travels Thu 26 Mar, 7pm Two tickets per school, subject to availability. Booking required.

ACCESS ‘I was really impressed with how the theatre supported my pupils with ASD… Seeing how they enjoyed themselves in the theatre was one of the highlights of my school year.’ Teacher, Garrett Park School At the Unicorn we have offered a regular programme of accessible performances since we opened in 2005. There are additional accessible performances at the weekend and over holiday periods; please visit our website for further details.

Relaxed Performances are open to everyone but focus on supporting those on the autism spectrum and those with learning disabilities, sensory or communication disorders.

We offer a visual story ahead of the performance, and on the day there will be a chill-out space available and an Access Usher on hand to welcome you.

Maggot Moon Fri 18 Oct, 11am

The Bee in Me Wed 26 Feb, 11am

Gulliver’s Travels Wed 29 Apr, 11am

Audio Described Performances are available for Maggot Moon and Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost.

Please contact us in advance if you are interested in booking this facility, as the offer is subject to availability.

Additional Pre-Show Touch Tours are available on request, subject to availability. Touch Tours offer a chance for those with visual impairments to explore the set, costumes and props.

Live Captioned Performances are available for Gulliver’s Travels.

Please contact us in advance if you are interested in booking this facility, as the offer is subject to availability.

There is an infra-red Sennheiser system in both theatres for sound amplification.

There is wheelchair access throughout the building and a wheelchair accessible lift to all floors.

For more information or for specific requests regarding access visit the website, email schools@unicorntheatre.com or call the Box Office.

17

HOW TO BOOK To make a booking call the Box Office on 020 7645 0560, email boxoffice@unicorntheatre.com, or complete an online form at unicorntheatre.com/secondary-schools To join our partner programmes, book CPD, discuss any aspect of our programme or arrange for us to chat through our offer in person, contact our Schools’ Officer on 020 7645 0517 or email schools@unicorntheatre.com.

TICKETS

ABOUT YOUR VISIT

We have introduced new prices so that we can continue to focus our subsidy on the schools that need it the most.

Our theatre was built with young people in mind, and it is important to us that we offer a space in which they feel welcome and valued.

FEE-PAYING SCHOOLS’ PRICES 1 teacher FREE per 10 student tickets booked £10 per student

£12 for Gulliver’s Travels £14 for Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost

BACKSTAGE TOURS From £2 – £5 per student (price varies on group size) Bookings subject to availability

WAYS TO SAVE UNICORN SCHOOLS CLUB MEMBERSHIP Membership supports non-fee-paying schools who wish to emphasise creative learning across the year. The scheme is open to schools booking 100+ tickets across two or more shows in a season. As well as getting 1 free teacher ticket for every 10 teacher tickets booked you get tickets at: £8 per student if you book 100 – 200 £7.50 per student if you book 201 – 500 £7 per student if you book 501+ tickets Additional benefits include: extra free tickets for parents to accompany school trips where needed, free coffees for teachers, raffle prizes for school fundraising events, a certificate and a logo for use on your website. Join today – fill in the online form on our Secondary Schools webpage.

EARLY BIRD OFFER If you book for two shows or more before 31 July 2019, tickets are £8.50 per student for non-fee-paying schools. If you are booking fewer than 100 tickets across two shows, this is the best offer for you.

We actively encourage our audiences to laugh, respond, clap and cheer during our shows – so please don’t feel that your students have to watch the show in silence.

We want them to feel this is their space where they get to make some of the rules.

There are only three things we ask of all our audience members when in the auditorium (of adults and children): no photos, no phones, no food.

You can find answers to frequently asked questions and a risk assessment form on our website, but if you have any questions or specific requirements we are always happy to discuss them with you.

WAYS TO KEEP IN TOUCH UNICORNTHEATRE.COM E-NEWSLETTERS FOR TEACHERS Sign up via the link on the Secondary Schools webpage

UNICORN_SCHOOLS UNICORN_THEATRE UNICORNTHEATRE UNICORN_THEATRE

HOW TO FIND US Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ London Bridge (5 – 10 minutes’ walk) Coach drop-off is available at Tooley Street. There is also coach parking available at Southwark St and Tower Hill.

020 7645 0560 | UNICORNTHEATRE.COM

Design: Eureka! (eureka.co.uk)

1 teacher FREE per 10 student tickets booked £10 per student

Registered charity No. 225751

NON-FEE-PAYING SCHOOLS’ PRICES