In 2008, following work started by Pegasus Theatre three years previously when young people created the training video on family separation, A Child’s Voice commissioned by Relate and Oxford Family Mediation (OFM), Pegasus sent professional artists to work with pupils at Warriner school in Banbury, Oxfordshire, to help them create a performance and workshops using real case studies. The resulting play, Walking on Eggshells (WOEs), was so inspiring that the project was allowed to continue with support from Creative Junction and OFM, in a form that could have even more impact.
Pegasus Theatre’s three Oxford Youth Theatre (OYT) companies – theatre, dance and production - were set up to provide the opportunity for young people to develop their skills and take on a leadership role. As part of the programme we encourage company members to become youth mentors, develop their sense of community and become advocates for what creativity can achieve, as well as for what young people can achieve, given the right support. Walking on Eggshells would be an ideal chance to show just how effective and powerful the results could be.
Both the OYT Theatre and Dance Companies have developed and worked on the WOEs project. Having devised and written additional sections to the script, which come directly from their own experiences, the Theatre Company toured the new play and held workshops with the pupils at three Oxford city schools in November 2009.
Click here to see a virtual scrapbook of the Walking On Eggshells project. (MS Powerpoint slideshow 1.8MB)
Want to know more contact Yasmin Sidhwa Head of Creative Learning