Spectacle Theatre exclusive public performance of Special

October 5, 2017 by

Spectacle Theatre are giving an exclusive public performance of Special by Paul Swift.

The show has toured over 100 performances to schools and youth groups for the past two years.

The public performance will take place on the 25th of October at the Cardiff and Vale College on Dumballs Road, Cardiff starting at 7pm.

During the past two years ‘Special’ has been performed to over 3,400 young people across Wales, England, Romania and Greece engaging with many hard to reach and seldom heard groups and developed their confidence and empathy. The piece can be delivered in both Welsh and English and offers a workshop to the young people following the show about the themes of bullying.

‘Special’ is the story of a man called Terry and an 11-year-old girl called Megan. The story takes place over 3 days and it begins when Megan and her friends go to the park after school to meet a ‘’guy” called Terry.  The children tease Terry and run away, but Megan leaves her bag. When she returns, Terry has it. Megan finds out that Terry isn’t what she thought, and they have more in common than she could have imagined.

Steve Davis, Spectacle Theatre Manager said, ‘‘Many teachers have responded to ‘Special’, saying it has enabled staff to have a discussion with pupils about issues they otherwise would have struggled to talk about; it opened their eyes to how vulnerable many young people were. The fact the play wasn’t single issue and takes the audience into a realistically complex fictional situation tested out young people’s real responses, as opposed to the responses they’d had to classroom work on stranger danger, etc. and many teachers were genuinely shocked that young people who had ticked all the expected boxes in previous classroom work, displayed a very high level of vulnerability in response to the play. Teachers also consistently commented on the play’s ability to positively engage all the children (including children who normally don’t!), enabling them to empathise, analyse and think critically. I’m excited we have a rare opportunity to show this production to the public in Cardiff and hope many will be able to join us.”

Spectacle Theatre was established as the Theatre in Education company for Mid Glamorgan in 1979, and has developed into an International award-winning company specialising in participatory theatre. Its work has reached out to some of the most isolated communities in the Welsh Valleys, young people in the criminal justice setting as well as winning awards at the Shanghai International theatre festival. Its creative partnerships extend to schools, colleges, young offenders’ institutes, hospitals, private companies, social enterprises and community organisations.

 

‘Special’ by Paul Swift, presented by Spectacle

25 October, 7pm
Cardiff and Vale College, Dumballs Road Cardiff

Tickets are free from Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/special-by-paul-swift-tickets-38501455891

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