Treehouse Theatre
Interactive theatre and drama for the history curriculum,
plus story telling, pantomime, festival fun and more...
Key Stage 2 (y3-6; age 7-11 years)
Coronavirus Update - Autumn 2021
AUTUMN 2021 - We are delighted that the relaxation of social distancing and the removal of school bubbles means that we are back to our usual Play-in-a-Day format!
All our Play-in-a-Days have been Covid-adapted and are available either as a Film Version,
or our usual Play-in-a-Day format. Current restrictions will determine which is used.
"We very much enjoyed our "Play in a Day" experience with Ben yesterday and we cannot wait to watch it when the separate films are all put together! Both the content and entertainment was excellent,
as was the preparation in advance with things such as timetabling and groupings, so thank you for that.
We certainly did like the format of the day, as it seems to be the most logical way of still teaching the large number of children whilst adhering to the social distancing guidelines."
(Feedback from a primary school, y5 Vikings versus Saxons, Sept 2020)
1) Film version - the film is created by 4 completely separate workshop groups of 1 class/bubble each,
and collated into a film rather than a final performance.
Its a filmed performance (rather than a Spielberg blockbuster!) and the content is the same as usual.
2) Play-in-a-Day format - Our usual format requires all children to be together for the afternoon performance,
and is only suitable if you are having year group assemblies and year group bubbles.
The school hall also needs to be large enough for social distancing between Treehouse actors and the children,
and decisions will be taken on a school-by-school basis, and will also depend on which Play is chosen.
Download COVID-Secure Risk Assessment for Play-in-a-Day, film version
Download COVID-Secure Risk Assessment for Play-in-a-Day, normal format
Read our blog for further details on our risk assessments and decisions
"We felt 100% comfortable. Your approach was sensible, well-organised and had clearly been risk assessed effectively"
(Feedback from a primary school, y1 Great Fire of London workshop, June 2020)
All photos are pre-Covid
Rather than passive entertainment,
we want our audiences to have an experience that was unique because they were there.
The driving force behind our work is the wish to see children surprise themselves with their own creativity in a world where we are often convinced that being creative is best left to someone else.
Our Key Stage 2 'Play-in-a-Days' are an exciting and challenging full day
of workshops and performance for up to 150 children.
We can also offer various Class Workshops, ideal for one class at a time, or smaller schools.
“A thoroughly enjoyable day with lots of educational content. Inclusive and engaging”
“The children were so excited and engaged! Even our most shy was eager to be involved”
“A fantastic interactive day. The children loved it and learned a huge amount, as well as having a LOT of fun!
“This was such a fantastic experience and a great opportunity for staff to see how confidently the children could perform"
"All children had parts and were engaged and having fun throughout the day. An excellent drama and educational visit that the children and adults enjoyed”
KS2 Living History Play-in-a-Days
Choose from:
War and Peace in Ancient Greece
Ancient Egypt: History's Mystery
Children on the Home Front (World War 2)
History and Drama are naturally suited for each other, and a Play-in-a-Day with Treehouse Theatre is fast-paced, challenging and very memorable. Written by a qualified teacher, a Play-in-a-Day makes a fantastic topic hook, can provide a much needed mid-term burst of enthusiasm, or a wonderfully satisfying way to wrap up a project.
Suitable for up to 30-150 Key stage 2 children. (Minimum 50 if years 3 or 4)
Morning: 4 workshops run consecutively throughout the morning, and each child attends one of the four workshops.
Afternoon: The whole group comes together for a vocal warm-up, performance tips, to get dressed up and perform the show!
Every child has a part in the play, and will also be the audience and watch their fellow students perform.
(Its not possible or suitable for the rest of the school or parents to watch)
Our Play-in-a-Days are a rewarding and confidence-inspiring experience for children. The inclusive and supportive atmosphere of the day ensures that everyone goes away with that wonderful feeling of having ‘put on a show together’.
What children say:
‘Awesome to the power of infinity!’
‘I was speechless it was so brilliant’
“You showed we can all be confident”
“Your plays really bring history to life. So its a 10/10 from me!”
“You have made my confidence stronger by making me act in a play with lots of people watching”
“Awesome....We couldn’t believe how realistic Ben made it feel. It really was like we were on a train into the unknown”
“Play in a Day was so much fun and it was great to see everybody enjoying it and everyone taking part”
“I learned so much my parents were really proud of me. You showed we can all be confident”
KS2 Living History Class Workshops & Projects
Living History Class Workshops are an immersive mixture of story-telling, dressing up and re-enactment.
Suitable for up to 32 children, 1 hour 15 minutes per class
Our Two Day Projects challenge your children to put together a performance for the rest of the school and/or parents in just 2 days!
Suitable for up to 100 children, years 5 and 6