From performance-based sessions to characterisation and other key themes, here are a handful of London productions that offer workshops that can inspire pupils.
Theatre workshops are an innovative way of enhancing a school trip to see a West End show. Through hands-on activities including improvisation and scene building, students can gain an insight into what they are about to see.
Along with developing theatre and performance skills, workshops are also designed to help learners build personal skills, like team building, communication and leadership. What’s on offer? Let’s take a look…
Matilda the Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company offers pre-show midweek matinee education workshops for primary and secondary schools during term time.
The workshops are designed to introduce students to the story of Matilda The Musical, the key characters and the creative process of bringing the story to life on stage.
Education workshops are available on Wednesday mornings during term time from 10.30am to 12pm and take place at the Cambridge Theatre. Lasting for 90 minutes, they can be tailored to meet the needs of students of all ages.
Mamma Mia!
The Mamma Mia! musical theatre workshop involves action- packed recreations of certain scenes within the show, which are aimed at bringing students closer to key themes.
The practical sessions take place in London and explore issues raised in the performance and allow learners to gain an appreciation of the songs and routines.
Workshops last an hour and a half, where an accompanying study guide encourages discussion and excercises focused around the show.
Les Misérables
The Les Misérables musical theatre workshop is a 90-minute session where students can take part in a series of drama exercises and warm-ups before recreating the famous ‘Barricade’ scene.
They will also learn to sing sections of two songs in the show: At the End of the Day and Do You Hear the People Sing. This option also includes a series of movement-based drama exercises before recreating the final battle on the barricades.
For those looking for something slightly different, the Les Misérables drama workshop lasts for an hour and allows students to explore the key themes in the story. Students will discuss the conditions faced by those living in poverty in 1830s France, before creating a series of dramatic tableaus, concluding with a performance in front of parents and guardians.
Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat at London’s Avalon Theatre offers pre-show workshops that are led by West End practitioners and take place in a rehearsal room.
Participants use extracts from the show, character work and devising techniques to unlock their potential.
The workshops are offered to groups before their visit to the show, or as part of a wider engagement programme in partnership with the Imperial War Museum.
An extended three-hour version of the lesson is held at the Imperial War Museum on Mondays and Tuesdays which includes a 45-minute guided tour of the World War Two Galleries, followed by a two-hour workshop.
Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera offers two different workshops for school groups to take part in. The mask, movement and drama workshop is an hour long and offers students the chance to learn what it takes to bring a haunting ghost story to life on stage.
They will explore key aspects of performance, such as the creating of soundscapes, building tension within the scene and storytelling through movement. The workshop will conclude with a performance of the ‘Masquerade Ball’ scene from the musical.
Running for an hour and a half, the Phantom musical theatre workshop explores aspects of movement, scene building, and acting through song.
Wicked
Wicked has official workshops covering wellbeing, anti-bullying and musical theatre. These are recommended for groups of 5 - 30 participants and are delivered in a central London venue.
The 60-minute, in-person wellbeing workshop immerses participants in the world of Wicked, exploring practical and meaningful ways to enhance physical and mental wellbeing.
A 60 to 90-minute in-person workshop explores the theme of anti-bullying through a variety of specially selected games and exercises related to the show, developed in collaboration with the Anti-Bullying Alliance.
The two-hour, in-person Wicked-themed Musical Theatre workshop is designed to introduce students to the many multi-layered performance techniques crucial to performing in the West End.
