Stratford Circus Arts Centre and Newham Council Give Over 5000 Free Theatre Tickets to Primary School Pupils

Offering the opportunity to every Newham schoolchild in Year 6 to see a theatre show for free, Stratford Circus Arts and London Borough of Newham's Every Child A Theatre Goer initiative returns for the fifth time in September 2017. The scheme inspires children by introducing them to theatre - often for the first time - and helping to develop their learning within and beyond the curriculum.

Last year, all Newham primary schools with Year 6 students were given tickets to a production of Romeo and Juliet created by the National Theatre, offering a chance to see world class theatre at their local arts centre. A total of 5120 pupil and teachers attended the performances and 30 teachers attended bespoke professional development sessions linked to the scheme.

This year, Stratford Circus Arts Centre have teamed up with producers Fuel and puppet theatre company Gyre & Gimble to bring brand new show The Hartlepool Monkey to Newham's schoolchildren. A dark comedy which explores the causes and consequences of xenophobia whilst celebrating children's ability to overcome prejudice, The Hartlepool Monkey draws on the maritime myth of a monkey hanged as a French spy by the people of Hartlepool in 1814.

Gyre & Gimble's Finn Caldwell & Toby Olié, who met while working as puppeteers on the original production of War Horse, make use of their trademark puppetry seen in The Elephantom, Running Wild and The Lorax in this new production, following the adventures of two survivors (a cabin-girl and a monkey) washed up on unwelcoming shores. The show was developed in part through workshops with Newham schoolchildren at Stratford Circus Arts Centre.

A local teacher whose pupils participated in the workshops said, "It was fantastic for our students to be a part of the process of creating a brand new theatre show that they'll get to see when the finished product is performed as part of Every Child a Theatre Goer. We really value the creative relationship we have with Stratford Circus Arts Centre and the opportunities they provide for us to accelerate student's learning inside and outside the classroom".

According to teachers surveyed about the scheme, it has made a big impact over the last five years:

· 100% of reported that the scheme was important and should continue

· Many commented that many families could not afford to take children to the theatre themselves

One teacher whose class attended an Every Child A Theatre Goer performance last year said, "Without this scheme, I think there's a high probability that children in our school could go through their whole primary school career without ever going to the theatre! The children we work with are in some ways more vulnerable in terms of their language development, meaning that theatre trips will be of greater impact."

Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales said "Every Child A Theatre Goer continues to go from strength to strength and that is in part due to amazing partners such as Stratford Circus. We have continued to develop this innovative scheme, now in its fifth year, so it always provides new learning opportunities for our pupils."

Tania Wilmer, Director of Stratford Circus Arts Centre said "We're delighted to be partnering with the Mayor of Newham and Newham Council once again on this year's Every Child A Theatre Goer with a brand new show created especially for young audiences by Gyre and Gimble. Access to exciting, high-quality arts and culture is at the heart of our mission and the exceptional quality of this show and meaty subject matter will entertain and challenge its audiences. We greatly value the contribution this scheme makes to ensuring that every child in Newham has access to outstanding performance and creative learning opportunities."

Kate McGrath, Director at Fuel said "We're thrilled to be working in partnership with Stratford Circus Arts Centre to reach young people in Newham. Through the Every Child A Theatre Goer we'll be reaching many young audiences as their first theatre experience, and we can't wait to see their reaction to The Hartlepool Monkey"

Alongside the free schools performances (14-29 Sept) The Hartlepool Monkey at Stratford Circus Arts will be open to the public (Press Night: Thurs 28 Sept) ahead of a UK tour. Public dates Tues 19 & 26 Sept, Thurs 28 Sept and Sat 23 & 30 Sept.

For more information, visit stratford-circus.com

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