The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust have announced that, during Anti-Bullying Week 2017 (w/c 13 November), a filmed performance of cyber bullying play Cookies will be available to stream directly from the Masterclass website.
In partnership with the Pureland Foundation and children’s charity Kidscape, Masterclass have revealed that Emily Jenkins’ striking drama, which recently received its world premiere at Theatre Royal Haymarket, is now available to view online.
Written with young people, for young people, Cookies is an exciting method of educating and engaging young students in a pertinent subject matter. Directed by Olivier Award nominee Anna Ledwich, the play is inspired by true, heartfelt online stories of students and follows seven teenagers dealing with the effects of sexting, radicalisation, cyber bullying and our wider digital world.
Audiences can view the filmed version of Cookies, and access free accompanying education resources, on the Masterclass website.
Cookies at Theatre Royal Haymarket (Photo: Pamela Raith)
The film is accompanied by free PSHE and Drama resource packs which include professional advice from Kidscape, easy-to-follow exercises, and over 30 extensive theatre-based, written and creative activities that align with national curricula.
Masterclass and Kidscape have spent over a year working with 16 to 19 year old students from varying areas of study, collating and exploring exciting, fresh material through diverse and successful workshops. As such, the resources will help teachers cover various topics within the curriculum using drama-based creative activities.
Blayne George, Programme Director at Masterclass said: “By using Cookies in the classroom, teachers will be able to encourage students to tackle the serious threats that young people face online and enrich their educational experience.
“The play can be used as a creative and engaging device to nurture important conversations with students from Key Stage 4 and 5. It provides an opportunity for discussion, encouraging young people to have the confidence to voice any concerns at a time when they are, arguably, at their most vulnerable.”
Cookies played the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 29 October for two performances only and was commissioned as part of the Cyberscene Project, an inspirational theatre initiative which supports the health and wellbeing of young people affected by cyber bullying and other online issues.