Project: Theatre activity days for children with additional needs
Grant: £1,605
Fund: HoB General
This grant funding has enabled Head2Head Theatre to provide four half day theatre sessions, enabling local families to experience theatre in a fun and accessible way.
Each session included an interactive performance of Peter Pan in a Pickle, a visit to a sensory tent, games and activities, and a relaxed picnic lunch. The programme also offers some young people with disabilities the chance to join the professionals as a volunteer actor for the day. This provides an unforgettable experience for many as they perform in front of their peers, developing confidence and raising self esteem.
During the 75 minute walkabout show of Peter Pan in a Pickle, the children were able to play freely, picking up sensory toys and encouraged by the actors to interact as they travelled with Peter Pan and Wendy to Neverland where they dressed up as pirates and mermaids and met the dreaded Captain Hook! The professional acting team took the children from room to room discovering scenes and meeting characters from the story. The actors were responsive to the needs of the audience, allowing the children to dictate how the action progressed.
Head2Head Theatre is the only thing we can do all together that both boys enjoy. You can entertain and capture the imagination of a 6 year old deaf boy with high-functioning autism and a 3 year old with Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulties. You are all amazing!
– Parent feedback
Case study:
“This was a unique opportunity for our family. Our daughter who is neurotypical loves the theatre and we’ve not had the chance to enjoy a production as a family as her brother doesn’t cope well in an auditorium. Having a walk about theatre provided us with a great family, fun day out. Our son was able to do his own thing while the story unfolded. He is very tactile and loved to explore and touch the props and stage settings. The actors were very accommodating and didn’t bat an eyelid. They approached him and knew when to leave him alone. All of the actors were engaging, funny and the story was fast flowing so kept everyone enthralled. It was a magical morning and we can’t wait to attend another show in the near future.” (Mother of child of 4 with autism, sensory processing disorder and learning difficulties who attends Booker Park School)
Main image photo credit: Kisiel Group Ltd
