The Barbican Theatre strongly believe outreach work in schools and within their surrounding communities is vital in providing true access to higher education.
This ensures that many young people get the opportunity to participate and have a go at something new.
Why Would You?
In 2015, Next Steps South West approached the Barbican Theatre to create a bespoke, interactive theatre piece to address themes of student fees and funding, targeting years 9-10 (ages 14-15) and their parents.
The project aimed to challenge attitudes, stimulate debate and overcome misconceptions around student fees and funding, resulting in the breaking down of finance as a barrier to young people’s views on going to university.
Barbican Theatre worked with local writer Jon Nash, director Jo Loyn and three local professionals to create the piece, ‘Why Would You?‘ featuring three characters (Ashleigh, Liam and Cameron) aged 17-18 who were about to complete their compulsory education. The piece shows their stories, their family backgrounds, financial barriers and aspirations as well as explaining and debunking myths and complexities of student finances for audiences in a light-hearted way.
Each Why Would You? school visit and performance is accompanied by workshops in smaller groups to explore fees and funding themes more fully.
Why Would You? has toured Devon, Cornwall and Somerset five times since September 2016 employing local professional actors, technicians and animators.
If you are interested in booking your school onto the next Why Would You? tour please contact Next Step South West at nextstepssw@plymouth.ac.uk
Get in touch
Please get in touch with the Barbican Theatre if you are a Head Teacher/Teacher looking to try something new or develop arts provision in your school. We would be very happy to meet with you.
Please email btpt@barbicantheatre.co.uk or telephone 01752 267131.
Creativity belongs to everyone, what we have to do is ensure everyone knows it.