Thurrock Trailblazer Cultural Catalogue 2019-20

TRESTLE
Trestle is a mask and physical theatre company with a highly regarded arts education programme;
with a mission to inspire creativity through participation and dialogue they aim to create and
deliver high quality mask and physical theatre performances and workshops locally, nationally
and internationally. Trestle send their high quality, hand-crafted Trestle mask sets and accessible
resources across the world.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Trestle Yarico Education Programme
positions itself between the facts of history and
fictional characters, woven together through
musical theatre storytelling, which honours the
past and provides practical exploration and
cross-curricular resources to support students
and teachers from KS1-5. Trestle will visit your
school to present a theatrical performance of
Yarico.
YARICO PERFORMANCE
This piece of theatre is centred on the true
story of Yarico, a young woman in the 17th
century who saved and loved a man who then
repaid her by selling her into slavery. In
bringing her story to life through theatre and
drama, we explore Yarico’s world and her
experience, as well as relating it to the
contemporary plights of women who are
exploited and enslaved.
Yarico is a woman from a Native American
culture, a saviour, a lover, a mother, a slave, a
freedom fighter; in the nineteenth century a
children’s alphabet book described ‘Y is for
Yarico’, showing how popular she must have
been at that time.
We believe that she has much to say to us
today and hope that this piece will support
students in discovering more about her,
relating that to the present and inspiring
people to engage with the basic questions of
how we value and treat other human beings.
KS2 KS3 KS4 KS5
SUITABILITY
The performance of Yarico is suitable for upper
KS2-5 and audiences of 100 or more.
Workshops are capped at a maximum of 30
students.
DATES, LOCATION & FORMAT
Schools can book the performance as a
stand-alone or book accompanying workshops,
which will include a short ‘storytelling’ version
of the Yarico story at the start of the workshop.
Workshops can be anything from 50 minutes
to 2.5 hours.
The performance is 25 minutes with
potential for a 20-30 minute Q&A session with
the actors.
A common model for a whole year group of
180 students is a morning show then several
one hour workshops.
Please note that all bookings are limited
between Monday 24 February – Friday 6 March
2020 only.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
SEND
YARICO
The learning outcomes for this project are
varied and can be tailored depending on the
focus of the workshop.
“I would recommend to all History teachers who teach slavery at KS3...
it gives insight into the realities of being a slave, enhancing empathy”
For students the project will:
• Provide an experience of a live theatre
performance
• Increase awareness of SMSC and British
Values relating to Citizenship, PSHE and
Religious Studies
• Raise awareness of issues surrounding
modern enslavement and women’s
emancipation
• Cover performance and verbal skills related
to the spoken language aspect of the
English National Curriculum for KS1-4
• Build on transferable skills related to
taking part in a drama workshop such as
communication, speaking and listening,
working in a team and building confidence
• Offer an introduction to drama and
storytelling or a more in depth exploration
of specific drama and devising skills
including mask work on a basic,
intermediate or advanced level. This can
easily be related to the Drama and Theatre
Studies curriculum in KS4 or KS5
For teachers the project can:
• Support them to engage with drama in a
simple way in their classrooms
• Provide in depth training in mask or
physical theatre
• Provide creative solutions to enabling
discussions on SMSC topics such as identity,
religion and race
CROSS-CURRICULAR LINKS
HISTORY & RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Linking to exploring themes of slavery and
race.
DRAMA & THEATRE STUDIES
Linking directly to meet criteria in mask and
physical theatre as well as supporting
modules in devising, improvisation and
practitioner studies.
ENGLISH
Supporting set texts, character exploration,
storytelling, speaking and listening,
presentation and communication skills.
PSHE
Offering a creative and engaging approach to
exploring issues around relationships,
feelings and emotions, identity and diversity
whilst building confidence and self esteem.
SMSC VALUES & CITIZENSHIP
Helping to develop confidence, explore feelings
and deal with issues such as bullying and body
image.
TEACHER COMMITMENT & TRAINING
We would need an initial planning consultation
with each teacher to determine the specific
targets and aims, which can be done over the
phone.
We would need a teacher to be present at
every workshop and enough teachers present
at a performance to chaperone the number of
students.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END?
Teachers can be left with Yarico resources
including details of the historical sources of the
story and matters of contemporary relevance,
alongside practical exercise suggestions to
continue classroom learning.
OTHER RESOURCES & SUPPORT
Trestle mask sets are available to purchase
online for use in the classroom.
COSTS
£350 for a single performance; with workshops
this performance cost is discounted to £300
and workshops are £100 for 1 hour, £200 for 2
hours.
RECOMMENDED
This offer could complement the following:
• Trestle: Unmasking Wellbeing CPD
• National Theatre: Let’s Play