Bristol Old Vic tackles arts ‘emergency’ by bringing the theatre into classrooms

Six young actors step into the spotlight as a reverent silence descends on the hall at City Academy in Bristol. A boy steps forward to pose a central question: “What does it mean to be young in Britain in 2026?”Union jack flags flash across the backdrop as three girls excitedly debate a Spice Girls reunion concert, before the focus swings back to the young boy wrestling with modern British identity. He rattles off a list of familiar cultural touchstones – fish and chips, cups of tea, Butlin’s, David Attenborough, Gogglebox and the England football team, naming heroes such as Jordan Pickford and Jude Bellingham.His tone later turns thoughtful. “I’m not sure I’m going to put an England flag up next tournament,” he admits. “Things feel a bit different. Flags … they should be about unity.”What unfolds over the next 30 minutes is A Brit?ish Museum, a sharp, energetic production written for schools by Muneera Pilgrim. The narrative tackles timely topics, jumping from a year 9 classroom debate over the honours system to a museum field trip where Who Do You Think You Are by the Spice Girls plays alongside exhibits examining colonial history.The performance is not taking place on a traditional, gilded stage but in a school serving the multicultural communities of St Pauls, Easton, and Lawrence Hill in east Bristol. It is part of an initiative by Bristol-old-vic" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="219239" data-entity-type="organization">Bristol Old Vic.Facing what national leaders have called an “emergency” for arts access, the venue’s young MIB260 company is touring two new plays directly into secondary schools across the city and surrounding areas at zero cost to the schools. An appeal on social media for any interest had a huge response.All the world’s a stage – including the City Academy’s school hall, where pupils watch a production of A Brit?ish Museum. Photograph: Sam Frost/The GuardianSchools nationwide are contending with severe budget constraints, making theatre trips, extracurricular outings, and creative subjects increasingly difficult to sustain. “We’re really aware that fewer kids are coming to see the theatre,” said Lucy Hunt, the engagement director at Bristol-old-vic" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="219239" data-entity-type="organization">Bristol Old Vic.“They are still coming, but you tend to get your drama kids or your middle-class kids. Even if a school does a trip, it’s not everybody. So the best way to get theatre to everybody is to bring work in.”Beyond the financial pressures on families and school budgets, logistical hurdles such as transport and safeguarding have made traditional school trips an administrative nightmare.So rather than letting live arts vanish from childhoods, Bristol-old-vic" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="219239" data-entity-type="organization">Bristol Old Vic opted to pack up the van and take the stage directly to the pupils. Although initially aiming to reach about 1,000 students, organisers now expect to engage up to 4,000 young people at 19 secondary schools. Home-educated groups and pupils in hospital education are also in their sights.The provocative subject matter of the play held particular resonance for the pupils at City Academy. Of the 970 on the roll in 2024/25, 44.3% spoke English as an additional language, compared with the national average of 19.2%. Just over half were eligible for free school meals in the preceding six years.For Beccy Pearce, a drama teacher at the academy, bringing live, high-quality performance right to the students offers invaluable exposure.“Theatre isn’t always accessible, or families can’t afford to go,” Pearce said. “To bring in a free performance where they can watch something in an environment that’s not too stuffy, and see the lights, costumes, music, and set – it can hopefully inspire them.“It makes life so much easier when theatre comes into school. Tickets take away a large amount from our budget, then you have travel costs and all the safeguarding red tape.”Pearce said the themes hit home directly: “Our catchment area has always been very multicultural and diverse. Britain is a boiling pot of lovely cultures and religions … the play was thought-provoking and talked about a sense of belonging, identity and British values.”Writer Muneera Pilgrim takes questions after the show. Photograph: Sam Frost/The GuardianFor the students in attendance, the performance made a clear impression. “It was really good,” said 12-year-old Elizabeth Yeboah. “I like the fact they brought up racism. A lot of kids go through that.”She said the experience made her want to go to the theatre more often.Bethany Davis-Croshaw, 13 and an avid young performer, said live theatre communicated complex social themes far better than traditional classroom delivery. “I thought it was amazing,” she added. “The stage setup was so cool.”As the final lights dimmed, the young audience burst into cheers, claps and whoops and engaged enthusiastically during a Q&A session with Pilgrim.Louis Le, 12, asked her about the inspiration behind the play and the hushed audience hung on every word of her answer.“I’m inspired by stories that are not heard,” Pilgrim answered. “How do we make sure our stories come out?”