Engaging the minds of young road users

Theatre in Education (TIE) has a constantly evolving definition, as new strategies and objectives for using theatre as an educational tool emerge.

Most define TIE as a general term that includes all the interactive theatre practices that help aid the educational process. Some of these processes include developing original scripts, using the performance of a play as a springboard for interacting with an audience and discussing important or sensitive topics or themes in a safe and supported environment.

The Deadly Distraction tour has been commissioned by the Kent Reconnect programme, in conjunction with Kent County Council Road Safety Team.

This project includes an online session for years 7, 8 and 9 and is free to your school.  The intervention consists of a 20-minute video, followed by a 30-minute live workshop facilitation to your students by one of our highly trained actors, via your preferred video calling software (Zoom or Microsoft Teams, etc).

Deadly Distraction

In February 2022, ‘The Riot Act’ have been fully booked with their production of ‘Deadly Distraction’

This highly engaging event promotes key road safety messages and will:

• Raise awareness of the danger of roadside distractions from music, phones and friends.
• Help students to identify and cope with peer influence and peer pressure.
• Promote safe, responsible and positive behaviour.
• Improve the confidence of students as independent travel

This highly appraised project is consistently booked year after year and Riot Act receive praise for their ability to keep their performances modern, fresh and relevant.

In addition to the session offered to schools, a learning pack is provided to teachers, including optional topics for future lesson plans.

Following these activities students should have:

• Greater awareness of the specific road safety dangers most likely to affect them and strategies to combat these risks and become safer travellers.
• Stronger self-awareness of their own responsibility when it comes to behaviour and personal safety.
• Deeper understanding of the far-reaching impact of bad road safety choices and the associated consequences.
• Motivation to develop ways to promote simple road safety techniques to their peers.
• An understanding of the science behind poor decision making by the roadside, especially within their age group.

What staff said:

“The main reason that this works so well is because the team are so enthusiastic with their performance and group scenarios and they obviously enjoy the interaction with the pupils. The team’s enthusiasm gets through to the pupils who really enjoyed the play and the subsequent workshop. Overall, a great day that’s fun and practical and ensures pupil engagement.”

“It was an outstanding performance and indeed an overall success. During the workshop the year 7’s were given the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about the play. They seem to have undergone a paradigm shifting experience. ”

“The Riot act were great. They interacted with the whole year group – 200 plus students were captivated for the whole workshop. You could see amazement on Year 9’s faces.”