Theatre is a fantastic way to present a message… Theatre is an experience that encourages some kind of reaction, whether about the quality of the performance or about the story or our own personal reaction to the topics raised. Theatre impacts our thinking and the Pure Theatre in Education Company educates young people through theatre performances by stimulating them to think about topics in a different way.
In school sessions, Pure will usually offer a 30-minute production looking at and presenting issues that affect young people, such as eating disorders and self esteem, pressure, identity, sex and relationships and self harm. Each performance is followed by an interactive theatre session, including theatrical techniques such as forum, hot seating and improvisation.
The sessions provide a safe environment for young people to explore the issues they face, and the performance acts as a springboard to encourage discussion, provoking them to ask questions, and see things from a new perspective.
As many of the issues raised are extremely sensitive we recommend that they are performed to year 8 pupils and above, however this is a guideline only and we will liaise with individual schools as to what age limit they feel would be most appropriate.
Productions will be followed by interactive workshops accessible to all pupils to explore the major themes and issues that have been addressed in the productions.
Current Productions include The Rating Game and The Other Side.
The Rating Game
Our newest production focuses on the theme of identity. The question of ‘Who am I?’ is crucial in the development of teenagers and so often they are looking to define themselves by what they see in the media, peer pressures, or other damaging stereotypes. By addressing this issue with young people – helping them ask the right questions – we can begin to see a shift in the trajectory of their lives.
Synopsis
In the midst of a fledgling romance that begins on their daily commute to school on the subway, Cate and Xavier find themselves flung into a rating game where the guys grade the girls out of 10. The rating provokes questions in each character which make them delve into the perception of perfection. What does it mean to be face to face with our true selves? “Will he still like me?”, “Will she still want me?”, “Will I even like who I am?” We are able to dive into the minds and hearts of these characters and process alongside them. All of these questions are addressed using an innovative blend of spoken word, rap, song, dance and film. In the midst of the game, the subway car that they are in comes under a security threat, locking the passengers between platforms. This new twist puts the whole game into a different perspective, forcing each character to truly look at themselves and their identity. Will they cling to a life of seeming control or is it worth the adventure of discovering their true selves?
The Other Side
The Other Side follows the stories of a group of young people, each with different issues, brought together for one night of fun that descends into trouble. Join them as they battle with the pressures of growing up, family problems, school and relationships.
The production seeks to tackle questions of identity, family, sex, friendships, and how you respond to the challenges that life brings. In the subsequent workshops, we will look at a number of these themes, how the characters responded, and how the young people can find more positive ways to deal with their personal issues.