New Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone has announced she will open up the acclaimed new writing venue to kids as part of the venue’s Open Court six-week season.
The Big Idea: Kids Court will take place in the final week of the experiment, which will see Featherstone hand over the keys and control to a range of different groups, from 16 to 20 July. Alongside work written by primary school aged children, the week will feature workshops, talks, backstage tours led by budding young playwrights, a family day and Upfront, which will see the Sloane Square venue staffed for one evening by children aged eight to 11.
The week of kiddie control will kick off with In A Minute on 17 July. Suitable for children aged five and older, this free performance in the theatre’s – family-friendly – bar will reveal the result of the theatre’s work with young local school children aged eight to 11 to create a series of one minute plays.
If you have a young budding writer at home, playwright Vivienne Franzmann will hold introductory workshops to the art form on 17 and 18 July for children aged eight to 11-years-old, while Nick Payne, a Best New Play nominee at this year’s Olivier Awards, will lead a writing workshop for the whole family on 20 July.
If your kids are more theatre-lovers than theatremakers, you can head down to the venue on 19 and 20 July to watch ten short plays by children written as part of the Royal Court’s Young Writers Festival 2012. Directed by Royal Court regular Simon Godwin, the plays will be performed by professional actors in the venue’s Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.
For something totally different, why not try Happy Hour – VIP Hostage on 17 and 18 July and watch a panel of children put the famous person of their choice in the hot seat to answer their burning questions (age guidance 8-11) or take a guided tour around the Royal Court led by a young writer (suitable for everyone aged seven plus).