As part of its Welsh teaching in Gwent and South Glamorgan, Gwent TheatreTheatr Gwent in associaton with Theatr Iolo are touring Byth I Ddychwelyd to children at key stages 2 and 3. It is the story of the Welsh families who sailed to Patagonia in 1865 to create a New Wales.
A workshop precedes the performance in this full-day theatre in education programme. Three public performances are being staged. For more information, ring Theatr Gwent on 0873 853167.
Greenwich and Lewisham Young Peoples Theatre, is retouring its excellent TIE production for primary schools, A Pocketful of Promises until the beginning of December. It is set in the early 1940s and is about a group of Polish refugee children who are dumped in the Mexican desert, where they are distrusted and vilified by the locals. The strength of the piece is the empathy it arouses in the audience, who become participants and must make decisions, along with the characters, about how to behave towards the Mexicans when “an eye for an eye” seems a reasonable option. Details from 081 854 1316.
Artbase, a service providing teachers with a telephone database of artists working with schools, launches in January. Teachers call Wham Marketing with details of what they are looking for (what kind of artist, the age range of the children, the subject being taught and for what purpose - residencies, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and so on). Wham will print off data on artists who meet the teacher’s description. The scheme, supported by West Midlands Arts, is open to artists and teachers from all over the country. Ring Wham on 021 523 1091.
A family musical version of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden plays at the Watermill Theatre, Berkshire from December 9 to January 14. More information on 0635 46044.
Little Orphan Annie dumps the Big Apple for Sheffield in the Crucible’s Christmas production of Annie. The lead is being played by two local children, chosen from 350 aspiring young thesps, who will perform on alternate days. Annie runs from December 8 to January 14. Bookings on 0742 769922.
Two more productions in the Drama Centre’s season of productions by third year students are coming up. Wolves and Sheep, a satire by Alexander Ostrovsky first performed in 1875, is being performed from November 28 to December 1. Thomas Otway’s Venice Preserved, about the failed attempt to overthrow the government of Venice, can be seen December 7 to 10. Booking details on 071-267 1177. The Drama Centre is at 176 Prince of Wales Road, Chalk Farm, London NW5.
At Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, Kent, third year students are performing Jim Cartwright’s Road (until tomorrow), Live Like Pigs by John Arden (December 1,2,3,5), Agamemnon (to November 29) and A Devised Musical (November 26-December 5). The first two are being performed at the college’s Barn Theatre. The last two are touring. For venues and tickets, ring the box office on 081-300 3024.
