TheatreQuest in Full Swing

Date: 6 Mar 2008

Local primary seven pupils at St Mary’s RC School, have been busy working on a never before seen play over the past few months and will be exhibiting their work in Almondvale Shopping Centre in February.

Pupils at St Mary’s RC School in Bathgate, West Lothian, performed extracts from the play ‘A Singer from the Desert Came’, at their school in December. Written by multi award-winning author Jamila Gavin as part of TheatreQuest 2007, the play is set in a future without adults and is a prediction of things to come if global warming is not tackled.

TheatreQuest, organised by The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts (formerly Arts & Kids) and supported by Land Securities Group Plc (the owners and management behind Almondvale Shopping Centre), is a nationwide project that will see children learning about theatre and thinking through hard-hitting issues around climate change.

 

Throughout the Autumn term last year, workshops were held in the classroom by both teachers and representatives from West Lothian Youth Theatre to the teach children a variety of skills involved in a theatrical production from set and costume design to acting and directing. The environment and social issues which are at the core of the play are also central to the children’s practical work as they created costumes and props out of recycled materials.

 

Retailers from Almondvale Shopping Centre donated lots of materials to help the school with the project including cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, plastic containers and coat hangers.

 

Jennifer Bruce, marketing manager for Almondvale Shopping Centre, said: “We are delighted to be supporting The Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts, they gave St Mary’s RC School a wonderful opportunity to encourage pupils to learn more about the environment and theatre while creating a set for the play.”

 

The project as a whole will culminate in a grand, national finale in London later this month, which will showcase the work done by all of the children involved across the UK. Some lucky children from St Mary’s RC School will be heading to the UK capital to take part in this event.

 

Teresa Smith, primary seven teacher at St Mary’s RC School, said: “The children really enjoyed making this fantastic play their own. We also had an after school class for this project which was really popular as most of the children wanted to do extra work on it.

 

“The children particularly enjoyed the IT aspect of it. They have made a power point presentation and taken pictures of some of their creations. The project also includes lots of group work which is ideal for a primary seven class. The children were delighted when I told them they had the chance to go to London. This project has been a huge hit. ”

 

Almondvale Shopping Centre and The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts have also donated 24 copies of the play to Riverside Primary in West Lothian. Their primary seven class has been gifted the books giving them the chance to act out the new play and discuss the issues and themes on climate change.

 

Rebecca Eastmond, director of The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundationsaid: “TheatreQuest is a unique and extremely exciting project for Children & the Arts.  We aim to provide children with sustained, high quality arts experiences and encourage them to visit their local arts venues.

 

“TheatreQuest brings together issues that are important to HRH The Prince of Wales – the environment, the arts and social issues – and we would like to thank Land Securities Group Plc for working with us and allowing the children to engage with the arts in such a fun and novel way.”

 

Shoppers at Almondvale Shopping Centre will have the opportunity to see a selection of the children’s work on TheatreQuest from 18th – 24th February.

 

Ends