Teaching, Participation and Research Annual Review 2006/07 From the plays we present to the ways we rehearse and the special events and activities we create to support our Teaching, shows, we involve young people and our local community in all aspects of our work, aiming to develop the skills, ambition and confidence of the Participation theatre-makers of the future. With the company based in The Cut once more, and in an award-winning and new building, we have even greater scope for experiment and the introduction of new ideas. And with three fully equipped new theatres, we have more Research opportunities than ever to work with young people and engage with the Our focus on young people and local community. residents in Lambeth and Southwark, and on young directors 02/03 Our work is focused on three Key facts and figures Thank you so much. key areas: Over 1,740 young people took part in I found the project Teaching workshops and projects. The majority totally life enhancing Our work with schools and colleges were aged between 7 and 20 and were – workshops in schools and on stage from Lambeth and Southwark. and I can’t wait until – collaborative work with young the next one. children 89 free opportunities were provided – subsidised tickets for teachers, including free tickets, Two Boroughs Participant – comprehensive resource packs professional development workshops – work experience placements and access to theatre professionals. – career initiatives – teachers’ activities 3,286 residents took advantage of free tickets and other activities provided Participation through the Two Boroughs Project. Our work with young people outside school 2,429 young people, independently or – workshops developing theatre skills through school, saw a performance for free – parallel productions on our Funded Ticket Scheme, many – projects developing independent experiencing live theatre for the first time. theatre-going – opportunities to learn about careers 101 schools and organisations collaborated in theatre, including acting, directing with the Young Vic during the course of and technical careers the year. Research 74 schools and colleges benefited from Our work developing theatre practice Funded Tickets. – The Genesis Directors Project, which consists of: Over 500 young directors were supported – the Directors Network in their professional development. – directors’ workshops with theatre practitioners – exploration of process – directing full productions through the Direct Action scheme – assisting on productions – The Jerwood Directors Award – Two Boroughs Project, providing free or subsidised tickets for residents of Lambeth and Southwark Our TPR activities are focused on three groups: – Young people from South East London, especially our home boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark – Young directors wishing to develop their craft – Residents of Lambeth and Southwark Teaching Funded Ticket Scheme Teaching Support Access Onstage and Backstage We believe everyone should have To enhance young people’s understanding To develop young people’s understanding access to theatre no matter what and experience of Young Vic productions, of how we work and to introduce them their financial circumstances. Funded we provide teachers with the following to the range of career opportunities Tickets ensure our productions are support: available in theatre, we provide seen by the widest possible audience. – A Resource Pack to accompany access to stage and creative technical We distribute free or subsidised tickets productions containing extensive teams through: to local schools, groups, teachers and background material on the plays, – Backstage Pass, giving young people young people, focusing on those who information about the rehearsal the opportunity to shadow a member have never been to the theatre before. process, interviews with actors and of our technical crew during a To make sure their experience is complete, production teams, designs, drawings performance so they can see how we provide each participant with a and drama exercises lighting, sound and stage management free ice-cream! – Teachers’ Evenings and Forums contribute to the show where teachers are provided with – Post-Show discussions with directors For the third year running we have Funded Tickets, the opportunity to and cast extended our FTS with the support of meet with Young Vic staff and – Backstage Tours the DfES London Challenge Programme, complimentary refreshments. In this – On-stage workshops that give pupils which aims to raise attainment in way we obtain teachers’ feedback on a hands-on opportunity to explore London secondary schools. The extra our work and keep them informed of the lighting, sound, stage management funding has enabled hundreds more future projects and performing challenges of our young people to experience live theatre – In-school workshops that give teachers three auditoria for free, broadening students’ horizons access to artists and practitioners, and teachers’ expectations. enabling them to develop their own knowledge and creativity Tickets were distributed predominantly in Lambeth and Southwark but also in Croydon, Merton, Wandsworth, Lewisham, Bexley, Greenwich, Westminster and Hackney. I thought The Enchanted Pig was fantastic, terrific, fabulous, exquisite and spectacular. Pupil, Ilderton Primary School 04/05 Projects Southwark Theatres’ Education Special Needs Training Rehearsal Projects Partnership (STEP) Festival November 2006 November 2006 – February 2007 July 2006 In order to extend our knowledge of Throughout the year we invite schools As part of this year’s STEP Festival we how to work creatively with teachers into the rehearsal room to help us ran a series of in-school workshops and students in special schools we ran develop the productions we are creating. exploring the craft of directing and training workshops for directors at Our Christmas show, The Enchanted Pig, the questions and challenges a director Turney Primary and Secondary School. was based on Romanian folklore and might encounter when bringing a play Led by experienced special needs was a terrifically vibrant family show to the stage. Working with two actors, animateur Tim Yealland, we worked in the tradition of Sleeping Beauty and the director looked at character objectives with a group of autistic and cerebral last year’s Tintin. As with all our shows and director choices in relation to spatial palsy children and a group with severe at Christmas we worked with a class narrative, entrances, exits and blocking. learning difficulties and emotional and of primary school students to explore behavioural difficulties. The directors the story, characters and themes of will work with special schools leading the play. First in school and then in workshops on our productions, as well rehearsals, the class fed back to the as devising projects based at the theatre director and actors at key stages in the on a range of activities, including design, production’s development. lighting, sound and costume. Our spring show, The Soldiers’ Fortune, also benefited from the involvement of a class of secondary school students. It was particularly useful to explore and test the accessibility of the language and complex social setting of the play. The girls really enjoyed the workshop on generations. Their enthusiasm for drama has improved since the show, and they are already asking for another trip. Teacher, St Martin-in- the-Field School Show Theatre Tickets Tobias and the Angel Main House 106 Love and Money The Maria 200 The Enchanted Pig Main House 1492 generations The Maria 191 The Soldiers’ Fortune Main House 387 The Big Brecht Fest The Maria / The Clare 53 Total FTS Tickets 2429 Fresh Direction Schools’ Theatre Festival for March 2007 Special Needs Schools The Young Vic is one of the foremost March 2007 theatres for young directors in the UK, The Young Vic Schools’ Theatre Festival and we are always seeking ways to is an opportunity for local Lambeth provide young people with opportunities and Southwark schools and colleges to to learn more about the craft of directing. present their work on our main stage For the third year the DfES London with all the facilities of a professional Challenge Programme supported this work. theatre at their disposal. The Teachers’ Forum for special needs schools The project was focused on two shows; suggested we pilot an additional STF the first half was based on The Soldiers’ exclusively for special needs schools Fortune and the second on The Big Brecht and colleges. Consequently, over a Fest. The schools could then choose month the Young Vic team, including a which of the contrasting plays they felt director, stage managers and lighting would complement their core teaching. designer, worked with the pupils and teachers in school and on stage to Three schools took part in The Soldiers’ adapt the performances to the main Fortune directing project and five stage at the Young Vic. in The Big Brecht Fest. The project explored the craft of directing over the A diverse range of 7 schools and colleges course of three in-school workshops took part and created a wonderfully per school plus a trip to the theatre. eclectic range of work. This ranged The theatre visit was scheduled after from devised pieces, to musical theatre, the second workshop so that the pupils’ to drumming and dance. response to the show could feed into the third workshop. The sessions explored essential directing skills and the groups then worked with professional actors on selected scenes from The Soldiers’ Fortune or Señora Carrar’s Rifles and put into practice what they had learnt. We worked with a total of 588 students – 24 classes from 8 schools participating in 24 workshops. 06/07 Increased Opportunities for Teachers Work Experience To celebrate the opening of the new Owing to the conclusion of Walkabout theatre we organised tours and events and our return to The Cut we had limited to introduce the building and the opening opportunities to accommodate work season. The teachers’ response to the experience placements in years 10 and 11. building sparked lots of new ideas, However, we were able to work with initiatives and possibilities.