The Childhood of the World

Education

Synopsis

It is a time of famine. Two siblings, Crann and Ré, are living with their father on a struggling farm in a small village. Their mother died in childbirth. Crann is responsible and practical. Ré is ambitious and curious; she dreams of studying the stars. One day, the villagers are called to a ‘roll call’ in the square, led by the Secretary, The Master of the Hunt and the cart driver. Two children are selected by lottery and told they will be apprenticed in the town. Crann is chosen and Ré bravely volunteers, and they climb into a caged cart. But on their way through the forest, they begin to suspect they will be eaten.

The siblings escape their cage and run into the forest, where they hide in the leaves. In the morning, they seem to be safe from the men, but they also realise they are very lost. They decide to venture further into the forest, away from the road and its dangers. They know very little about how to navigate the forest, and struggle to find a way through thick undergrowth. They come upon a wall, climb to a pool of water, and sleep for the night. Ré sees stars appear in the earth: a strange mystery.

The next morning the siblings begin to explore, but soon they are caught in a trap and surrounded by frightening figures. These turn out to be a group of children who live in the forest. They follow these children, led by Ash and Bud, deeper into the trees until they come to a clearing. A great tree sits at the centre of the clearing. There they meet someone called the Mother and learn about a different way of living – surviving with the forest and understanding its ways. Ré asks questions, trying to understand the mysteries of the earth, the stars, and the moon.

Soon, the siblings must choose whether to stay or to return. They realise they can’t abandon their father in a time of need. With the help of the other children, they journey back to their village, where they are reunited with their father and help him to work the land.

Ré does not lose sight of what she learned in the forest, nor does she let go of her dreams.

Pricing

Standard
One performance: $15 per student
Two performances: $13 per student
Three performances: $12 per student

Equity (Cat 1 – 4)
One performance: $12 per student
Two performances: $10 per student
Three performances: $9 per student

Workshops

Slingsby Theatre Techniques: Shadow & Miniaturisation
Over the past 15 years, Slingsby has developed a distinctive look and feel to its theatre-making. From The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy (2007) to The Boy Who Talked to Dogs (2021), each show has incorporated elements of shadow play, miniaturisation and sustained moments of image and sound. Through this hands-on workshop students will discover how these techniques can be used in storytelling to create their own short pieces of theatre.

Please note, this workshop includes access to Slingsby’s torches and materials to create beautiful shadow play.

What makes a small theatre company work?
A workshop for teachers and Year 10, 11 and 12 students. The workshop will provide a living example of the SACE process of formulating a working company with a vision.

The workshop delves into how Slingsby:
-Formulate a vision for the company Identifies their target audience
-Determines their dramatic vision and works on their collaboration skills
-Plans marketing, publicity, and promotion Undertakes financial considerations
-Develops stylistic features for the company
-Develops strategies for reaching new audiences.

Pricing

Standard
$500/workshop (max 30 participants)

Equity (Cat 1 – 4)
$300/workshop (max 30 participants)

For more information about workshops, please email: [email protected]