Reflection from Playhouse Writer Lydia Marchant
Playhouse is one of the most inspiring and unique projects I’ve had the privilege of taking part in. It exists to create new plays that children in Key Stage 2 are excited to perform, that reflect their world and their interests, and I think its amazing success stems from the integral role the children play in the scripts’ development.
In the pitching process, writers were asked to present stories that 8-11 year olds would find fun and relatable. In my play, The Refund, the main character Frankie uses her favourite game to escape from her real-world worries. In Elysium, there are no red bills or turtles wrapped in plastic; it’s a perfect world. But when she uses her mum’s card to buy an add-on, she realises the only way to get a refund is to enter Elysium for real. Throughout the play, she’s increasingly drawn into the world of the game and, in the end, faces a choice - give up the game, or leave her mum and brother and stay in this ‘perfect world’ forever? Aiming to write a play that would excite young performers and work for large cast sizes encouraged me to think outside the box and consider how the storytelling could be charged with music, dance and ensemble.
One of my favourite parts of the process was going into primary schools in York. We asked the the children about what games they loved playing, to make sure the fictional Elysium felt authentic. We talked to them about their biggest worries - from cost of living crisis to climate change - and these became Frankie’s worries in the play. Then we got them to create their own ‘perfect worlds.’ There were so many fantastic, creative ideas that we knew we had to include (including a Taco Eating Panda!)
Julian Ollive, Head of Creative Engagement at York Theatre Royal, supported me, with thoughtful, sensitive notes, to create a script that was accessible for all the performers - whether they wanted lots of lines, or a more movement-based role. Another stage I think was really key to the play’s development was the draft 2 workshop we ran with the 8-11s Youth Theatre. Their input and feedback was really useful and it was exciting to see the play on its feet for the first time.
Next came the online workshop day with teachers who’d chosen to direct my play. We explored the different ways it could be staged and it was amazing to hear their different visions and interpretations of the piece.
Finally, it was time for the performances! Between April and July, I travelled to the Key Theatre in Peterborough, York Theatre Royal and Theatre Royal Plymouth to see productions of The Refund. Each performance was unique and it was brilliant to see the different elements the directors used - from physical theatre to sound and costume - to bring the play to life. In Plymouth, I took part in Q&As with the casts after the show. Hearing their responses to the play and how much they’d loved and benefitted from being part of Playhouse was another real highlight for me.
Over the course of the project, I’ve learned a huge amount about creating relevant, challenging, fun and accessible work for 8-11s and I feel really grateful to have been part of Playhouse.
