Box Clever has been commissioned by the The Royal Opera House to work with children from five primary schools in Thurrock, Essex.
Box Clever will tour to the schools with Michael Wicherek’s Mark and the Marked, a vibrant, physical and visual performance that helps raise awareness of the negative effects of bullying amongst children.
The performance, which shows the children a friendly activity that then deteriorates into a bullying situation, is followed by a workshop that allows open discussion about what went wrong and what could have been done to make it a more positive situation.
Using the play, we will raise awareness of the positive aspects of diversity and the importance of difference for both the school community and wider community.
Mark and the Marked will be directed by Kimberley Sykes who joins the company with a wealth of experience working with the likes of the RSC and the World Shakespeare Festival.
The performance will be watched by the students from each participating school, and then followed by class-size workshops. Following the performance a small group of children from each school will gather at the Thameside Theatre, Thurrock for an additional workshop to explore the issues raised further.
This commission has come through the Royal Opera House’s Bridge which aims to connect children with great art and culture.
Creative team: Kimberley Sykes (Director), Sarah Booth (Designer), Darrel Bailey (Actor), Carl Chambers (Actor), Maria Gray (Actor), OneNess Sankara (Performer)