The Arts Society Corinium has awarded a charitable grant to Ashton Keynes CoE Primary School in 2025.
The charitable grant has enabled Ashton Keynes CoE Primary School to put on a short drama for Key Stage 1 pupils about The Great Fire of London which is relevant to the children’s work this year. A theatrical company with wide experience of working with children and young people was used and the production took place on Friday 6 June.
The theatrical company involved in the production consisted of just two people, who played all the roles. They used different voices appropriate to the various characters and used a variety of simple costumes, mainly hats and the stage was set with scenery depicting London in the seventeenth century. It was an interactive production, and the actors involved the children in a number of ways – singing, dancing and they were invited to volunteer to play little parts within the performance.
The pupils loved the performance, especially the opportunities to ‘join in’. Importantly, the performance enabled the pupils to gain a greater understanding of a significant event in English history. Moreover, by delivering the historical information through theatre and music, the pupils were given the sort of enriching experience many may not have the opportunity to enjoy outside of school.
A representative of The Arts Society Corinium attended the performance on 6 June.
