Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The National Theatre is touring a new production, Shut Up, I’m Dreaming, to state secondary schools in Peterborough.

Between March 20 and 24, the production will visit The King’s School Peterborough, Nene Park Academy, Stanground Academy, Jack Hunt School and Abbey College.

The show has been created in collaboration with secondary school students and will visit a different school every day for 11 weeks, across 11 areas across England.

The cast in the National Theatres's schools tour of Shut Up, I'm dreaming... created by The Pappyshow. Photo by: Marc Brenner.

It’s part of the National Theatre’s largest ever schools tour and created by The PappyShow, a theatre company which aims to platform marginalised identities and create diverse and joyful productions.

It comes as residencies have been held with 100 students in three schools in Wakefield, Sunderland and Walsall to understand the experience of teenagers over the past few years and incorporate their voices into the piece.

Shut Up, I’m Dreaming explores the hopes and dreams of young people in an uncertain world through an eclectic combination of movement, dance and music.

In partnership with local theatres, this widest-reaching schools touring production in National Theatre history will be seen by 12,000 students across England.

The cast includes Joseph Adelakun, Marc Benga, Jake Garvey, Lewis Griffin, Rachel-Leah Hosker, Rianna Kellman, Jeff D’Sangalang, Bianca Stephens, Molly Walker and Seda Yildiz.

The tour will also visit outer east London and south Essex, Salford, Wigan, Rochdale, Wakefield, Doncaster, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Stoke, Leicester and North Devon.

‘Inspire and make us dream of more’

Kane Husbands, director and founder of The PappyShow said, “This new production, Shut Up, I’m Dreaming is a bright, brave response to our time. The research alone has been an incredible journey and we have been so inspired by how this next generation – our future change makers and leaders – have responded to us.

"At a time where we feel creativity is being removed from the curriculum, we believe taking performance and theatre directly to young people can inspire and make us dream of more, see things differently and connect us to our feelings.

"I hope we can inspire young people across the country to walk into and lead BIG Lives and to keep dreaming... their whole life.”

For more information, visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning

National Theatre touring to secondary school halls in Peterborough as part of largest ever schools tour across the country

‘Inspire and make us dream of more’