Second in our spotlight series is performing arts – verbatim theatre, contemporary themes and Paper Birds in a thousand pieces!  

On our vocational pathway, with its highly practical nature, the performing arts course allows students to develop their performance-based skills. Students learn to apply the working methods and approaches used by professionals within the industry in their own work.

This time the Paper Birds Theatre Company came into College to run workshops on their unique style of theatre.  They encouraged students to expand their knowledge on contemporary performance, political and verbatim theatre and get inspiration to create their own piece. Paper Birds based the workshops on techniques used in their production of ‘In a Thousand Pieces’ which they then showed to students at the end of the day.

Students are embarking on a Theatre in Education project, where they will create a piece and perform it at local schools as well as give workshops to the younger students on the techniques they have used. Theatre in Education is an interactive way of learning across the whole curriculum, with performers being able to tailor any subject or key stage and engage their audience. The Paper Birds workshops were a great way for students to start their projects and will continue to develop their pieces in lessons.    

If this has inspired you, click here to find out more about the performing arts course we offer.