Education summer 2015

1

Hello – and welcome to our schools and colleges programme for the Summer Term 2015.

Our programme of exhibitions, live performances and film screenings and all the enrichment activities that surround them are offered to young people as a key part of our overall creative learning programme. Through this programme we aim to:      

Spark imagination Stimulate creativity Broaden horizons Deepen knowledge Develop understanding Enrich appreciation Enhance enjoyment

The needs of children and young people are the central focus of our creative learning programme. We ensure that we create many opportunities for them to experience the richness of the arts with a wide range of accessible, enjoyable, challenging and stimulating arts learning opportunities.

I hope that you’ll find much in our Summer programme to interest you and your students, no matter what their age.

Brian Bishop Education Director

2

Table of Contents Artistic Programme for Primary Schools…p4 Scamp Theatre: Stick Man...p5 Tall Stories in Association With Kenny Wax Ltd: The Gruffalo’s Child…p6

Artistic Programme for Secondary Schools and Colleges…p7 Live Live Cinema: The Little Shop of Horrors…p8 Rifco and Watford Palace Theatre: The Deranged Marriage…p9 Stan’s Café: A Translation of Shadows…p10 Wendy Houstoun: Pact with Pointlessness…p11 Coney: Early Days (of a better nation)…p12 Shakespeare Week…p14 English Touring Opera: La Bohème…p15 English Touring Opera: The Wild Man of the West Indies…p16 Mead Gallery…p17 COMING SOON - Kneehigh with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse: Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs)…p18

Booking Information / Planning your visit…p20 Get More Out of Your Visit…p21

3

Artistic Programme for Primary Schools

4

Scamp Theatre

Stick Man Tue 23 Jun 10.30am & 1.30pm, Wed 24 Jun 10.30am 55mins / Ages 3+ / Theatre / £9 (every 16th ticket FREE) From the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – creators of The Gruffalo. Directed by Sally Cookson. Music by Benji Bower.

“Taking a child to the theatre is where you can set (their) imagination free.” Sally Cookson, director of Stick Man “Stick Man lives in the family tree. With his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three….”

But the world outside the tree is a dangerous place for Stick Man. A dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him and he even ends up on a fire!!! How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree?

If you’ve brought children to Warwick Arts Centre before you may well know the work ofSally Cookson. She’s breathed theatrical life into some wellknown stories and books on our stages – We’re Going On a Bear Hunt, Tiddler and Other Tales, How Cold My Toes, Clown and The Ugly Duckling. We’re delighted to have Sally back with her “wonderfully exuberant and imaginative” (Time Out) adaptation of this much loved children’s book.

“Scamp Theatre send shivers down my spine. I love their production of Stick Man and so do the audiences.” Julia Donaldson “Zesty and delightful … a clever, compelling treat” The Independent

5

COMING SOON: Tall Stories in Association With Kenny Wax Ltd

The Gruffalo’s Child From the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Thu 26 & Fri 27 Nov 10.30am & 1.30pm Tue 1 – Fri 4 Dec 10.30am & 1.30pm Tue 8 – Fri 11 Dec 10.30am & 1.30pm Tue 15 – Thu 17 Dec 10.30am & 1.30pm

55mins / Age 3+ / Theatre / £9.20 (every 16th ticket FREE)

One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist…does he?

Tall Stories Theatre Company are back! After last year’s run of The Gruffalo (sold out to schools), they are bringing magical, musical life to Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s captivating sequel.

6

Artistic Programme for Secondary Schools and colleges

7

Live Live Cinema

The Little Shop of Horrors Wed 10 to Sat 13 Jun 7.30pm 85mins (no interval) / Age 8+ / Theatre / £10

Live Live Cinema have come from New Zealand with this unique and hectic production that brings film to life on stage.

They take us back to the 1960s with a screening of Roger Corman’s comedy horror film The Little Shop of Horrors (keep your eyes open for a very young Jack Nicholson!). But this is a screening with a difference – the soundtrack has been completely removed. All the dialogue, music and sound effects will be recreated by a live ensemble in perfect sync with the film. The danger and excitement of live performance will be significantly cranked up as only four performers recreate everything between them – Audrey is also the pianist, Seymour will be on guitar, the drummer and bassist play all the other characters and all four take responsibility for the live sound effects – dashing from one side of the stage to the other. You’ll have to ask the questions – “Will they pull it off?” and “Where are you gonna look?”

8

Rifco and Watford Palace Theatre

The Deranged Marriage Written and directed by Pravesh Kumar

Tue 2 – Sat 6 Jun 7.30pm

2 hours (including interval) / Age 13+ / Theatre £12 The smash hit show returns for its tenth anniversary.

“This show has been a big hit around the country – a reflection of audiences’ hunger to see plays that reflect the British-Asian experience.” The Guardian

Does tradition have any value in our modern lives? Does love have anything to do with getting married? Rishi and Sona have agreed to get married in the traditional way and the whirlwind wedding circus is on the move with or without them. Their frenzied families go into overdrive to ensure this is the most elaborate wedding ever seen, but hidden amongst the show-off dance numbers and sparkling saris, a forbidden love story starts to unfold. As the ice sculpture melts and missing Ladoos continue to cause mayhem, the young couples cold feet threaten to enter the wedding mandap.

“A mini-masterpiece of epic humour.” The Stage

9

Stan’s Café

A Translation of Shadows Wed 22 – Fri 24 Apr 7.45pm 60mins (no interval) / Age 14+ / Studio £8.50

A world premiere from local heroes, Stan’s Café.

When silent film first arrived in Japan a narrator, called a Benshi, was employed to explain the movie – and you would fall in love with them. They were the stars and they guided you through their interpretation of the screen images. Though once mighty and numerous, ‘The talkies’ eventually killed them off.

But now the Benshi is back, in all his glory! Stan’s Cafe have been to Tokyo and shot Shadows, a beautiful and mysterious silent movie about a young couple in love. All that remains is for the Benshi to tell us what every shot and symbol means, who the actors are, why he loves them, why the director is terrible, when and why we should cry and laugh, what will happen in the end, why he is the greatest, most indispensible Benshi in history and why we should fall in love with him.

If only it were a simple as that …

10

Wendy Houstoun

Pact with Pointlessness Tue 28 & Wed 29 Apr 7.45pm 55mins (no interval) / Age 16+ / Studio ÂŁ7.50

Pact with Pointlessness is a show that asks the big questions. A philosophical piece of stupidity driven by an urgent sense of futility.

A barrage of old time patter and online chatter fuel the slow, slow, quick, quick, slow cycles of coming and going in an absurd piece triggered by life, death and what to do about age in an escapology of strange logic.

The seasoned and award-winning Wendy Houstoun is in defiant form.

Treading the boards once more in (more or less) an hour of absurd action, breakneck looping chatter and more than a few laughs. Stand up meets vaudeville eccentricity in this performance of organised chaos.

Co-produced by Southbank Centre, Nottingham Lakeside Arts with Dance4, The Nightingale Theatre Brighton, South East Dance and Dance East, with additional support from Arts Council England.

11

Coney

Early Days (of a better nation) Tue 12 – Thu 14 May 7.15pm 2hrs 30mins / Age 14+ / Helen Martin Studio / £7.50

Presented as part of the University of Warwick’s Festival of Social Sciences.

“If you want to see the future of British Theatre now, then Coney is one of the companies to watch.” The Guardian

This is the perfect time for students of Theatre to experience interactive theatre at its best. 2015 is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the first Theatre in Education Company in Coventry. Its legacy of audience interactivity and participation through theatre is being taken to a new and highly engaging level by Coney and their latest showEarly Days (of a better nation).

The war is over and the nation lies in ruins. You and your fellow survivors must build the beginnings of a new country. What are the rules you’re going to live by? And can you avoid the mistakes of the past?

12

A piece of interactive theatre for a playing audience, Early Days (of a better nation)explores the possibilities of nationhood and democracy, drawing inspiration from the 2011 England riots, the Arab Spring, Iceland’s crowdsourced constitution and the rise (and fall) of Occupy.

Co-commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre, National Theatre Wales and Battersea Arts Centre. Production development supported

by Cultural Institute at KCL andStichting Doen. Funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Unity Theatre Trust. Supported by Ovalhouse.

13

Shakespeare Week Wed 22 – Thu 30 Apr

A programme of digital screenings and conversations that give students of English and Drama the perfect opportunity to take a fresh and contemporary look at some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.

The week includes a short festival, Seeing Shakespeare Through Other’s Eyes, revealing how different social experiences and cultural traditions shed new light on the masterpieces of ‘British’ culture.

Full details can be found on our website: http://bit.ly/WAC_ShakespeareWeek

14

English Touring Opera

La Bohème Puccini Sung in Italian, with English surtitles

Fri 24 & Sat 25 Apr 7.30pm 2hrs 10mins (including interval) / Theatre £11 A classic story of young love, La Bohème takes place on a snowy Christmas Eve in 19th century Paris. ETO’s production will tell the story straight, with nothing to get in the way of the raw emotion and beauty of the music.

15

English Touring Opera

The Wild Man of the West Indies Donizetti Sung in Italian, with English surtitles Thu 23 Apr 7.30pm

2hrs 30mins (including interval) / Age 13+ / Theatre / £11

The Wild Man of the West Indies is an extraordinary opera which vanished after initial success. Based on the same story as Shakespeare’s lost play Cardenio, this is a tale of love, loss and reunion, set on a Caribbean island to Donizetti’s sumptuous music.

16

Mead Gallery

Imagining a University: Fifty Years of The University of Warwick Art Collection Wed 29 Apr – Sat 20 Jun 2015 Open Mon – Sat 12 noon – 9 pm Closed Bank Holiday Mondays and Sundays FREE ENTRY

Imagining a University examines, decade by decade, how the forces that shaped the University also influenced the development of the collection. It will include the work of over 100 artists including Terry Frost, Yoko Ono, Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley, Patrick Heron, Eduardo Paolozzi, Jack Bush, Tess Jaray, Melanie Manchot, Fiona Rae and Richard Long.

Interested in a FREE tour of the exhibition? Speak with our Education Team to find out more: 024 7657 4786 / 024 7615 1793 or ed.artscentre@warwick.ac.uk.

17

COMING SOON: Kneehigh with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse

Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs) A New Beggar’s Opera Written by Carl Grose Music by Charles Hazlewood Directed by Mike Shepherd

Tue 27 Oct – Sat 31 Oct 7.30pm, Sat matinee 2pm

2hr 15mins / Age14+ (very strong language and sexual references) / Theatre £13

The ever inventive Kneehigh return with their blazing new show. Fasten your seat belts; it’s going to be one hell of a night!

Based on the Beggar’s Opera, John Gay’s classic musical satire, Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs) is busting with wit, wonder and weirdness. An extraordinary Kneehigh cast of actor-musicians shoot, hoot and shimmy their way through this twisted morality tale of our times.

18

NOTE: If your students are on half term, they may book individually or with a group of friends at £13 per ticket.

“A stunning explosion of theatrical pyrotechnics.” ***** The Morning Star

19

Booking Information To book tickets, contact Helen and Amanda, our dedicated schools’ booking team:  

Telephone: 024 7615 0930 Email: groupbookings@warwick.ac.uk

Please note: the schools’ booking team work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 10am – 4pm

Risk Assessment You can download a copy of our risk assessment form from our website: http://bit.ly/WAC_Risk.

Planning Your Visit All of the information you require to plan your visit to Warwick Arts Centre can be found on our website in the ‘Your Visit’ section: www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/your-visit.

We regularly update the website with information on parking, accessibility, facilities, and opening hours. If you are unable to find the information you require, please contact Helen or Amanda in the schools’ booking team (details above).

20

Get More Out Of Your Visit‌ Sculpture and Colour Trail The University of Warwick has an important collection of 800 pieces of modern and contemporary art that is spread right across campus. We have developed a Sculpture Trail and a Colour Trail to give individuals, family groups and school parties access to parts of that collection.

Anyone can follow the Trails independently with the support of Trail leaflets that are available FREE OF CHARGE from Box Office.

Schools can opt to take either Trail with the support of trained leaders who can stimulate reaction through observation, drawing and discussion.

Sculpture Trail Trained leaders take pupils on a journey around campus looking at 5 or 6 works of abstract sculpture. These vary in size, shape, material, colour and making technique – from the carved marble of Dark at Heart by Peter Randall-Page to the bird-like painted aluminium of Op Mobile no. 10 by Nechemia Azaz.

Colour Trail Children are taken on an indoor trail of abstract art works focusing particularly on the use of colour, thinking and talking about the spectrum, how colours are made, the feelings they evoke and the techniques the artists have used. Works include Orange with Lemon and White by Patrick Heron and the huge wall painting Everything by Ian Davenport.

Schools can book either Trail by contacting the Education Team on 024 7657 4786 / 024 7615 1793 or ed.artscentre@warwick.ac.uk.

21

Talks and Workshops Warwick Arts Centre holds a range of talks and workshops each season, suitable for all ages, to support the programme of events. Simply visit the performance event pages and look for the ‘Get more out of you visit’ section.

22