Beyond Literacy: Zeraffa Giraffa is an extra-curricular literacy project for 600 local school children, taking place in Spring 2018.

The project draws on the themes explored in our co-production with Little Angel Theatre, Zeraffa Giraffa, including journeys, displacement, embracing different cultures and the immigrant experience; these themes are tangible for many of the children of South London.

The programme itself has three delivery teams; each made up of 1 practitioner, 1 assistant practitioner and four professional actors. Our Lead practitioner has developed a three-session programme which culminates in a subsequent sharing of the work at Omnibus Theatre. Each session includes an element or theme from Zeraffa Giraffa, an element of the literacy curriculum and theatrical elements, through which we animate the other two. Session outlines below:

Session 1
Zeraffa Giraffa connection: Different locations
Literacy element: Vocabulary, adverbs and adjectives
Theatre practice: Character biographies and location designs

Session 2
Zeraffa Giraffa connection: Overcoming problems and difficulties
Literacy element: Story structure – beginning, middle and end.
Theatre practice: Writing a play

Session 3
Zeraffa Giraffa connection: Communication and empathy
Literacy element: Confidence in public speaking and articulating their opinion
Theatre practice: Directing actors

The children are then invited to see their piece of work at Omnibus Theatre.

While we are fully booked for the Spring 2018 incarnation of the project, we are able to bring the project to your schools later in the year. For more information and price structures please be in touch with our Creative Learning Producer Rhian Davies on creativelearning@omnibus-clapham.org.

This project has been made possible by grants from Postcode Community Trust, Arts Council England, Heart of Experian Fund and the Percy Bilton Charity.