Nottingham Playhouse’s theatre-in-education company Roundabout is staging what it describes as one of its “most ambitious projects ever” to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
White Peacock is a play created specially for young people with profound learning disabilities and autism. It will go on a national tour next spring.
The play, originally produced in 2010 for local schools, is performed inside a specially constructed micro-theatre to six young people at a time, each accompanied by a companion.
White Peacock, which is for 11- to 25-year-olds, tells the eventful story of the last night of Sam’s school holidays.
Sam is alone in his moonlit garden; in a tree the white peacock is calling. His solitude is broken when a young girl, Phoebe, strays into the garden thinking that it is part of a wood.
In White Peacock the audience is fully involved through sight, sound, smell and touch: when they explore the garden with Sam and Phoebe there is grass to touch and smell, a real pool to dip their feet into, the smell of flowers and a tree to sit underneath.
Chief executive of Nottingham Playhouse Stephanie Sirr commented, “White Peacock is a unique play that caters for an audience who are sadly often ignored.
“Everyone here is incredibly excited to be hosting the play again and to see it go on tour to schools and other venues across the country.”
With support from Arts Council England’s strategic touring scheme, White Peacock will visit local schools, play at Nottingham Playhouse and visit theatres across England between 15 April and 8 June.
The national tour of White Peacock is the culmination of Roundabout's 40 years’ experience in making theatre for children and young people.