David Farmer is interviewed by Emma Shaw of the Derby Telegraph about Tiebreak's production Jack and the Beanstalk. The play appeared at Derby Playhouse from 22nd - 31st March 2005.

Emma: I think the play was originally used for Christmas 2000, and of course, many people will associate a theatre production of Jack and the Beanstalk with pantomime. How does it differ from pantomime - or what similarities are there?

David: Our version has three storytellers sharing the whole story of Jack between them - they swop characters at the drop of a hat, literally. The three performers happen to be pretty versatile - the show features singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and of course lots of comedy. But we still have a bit of "It's behind you!" for good measure. And plenty of corny jokes.

Can you tell me about the staging: are there lots of bright costumes, lighting set etc...

We have tried to make it as inventive as possible, so there are some very surprising uses of everyday objects in unusual ways. Most important of all is the giant chair (please keep this a surprise from the children!). They don't realise it is a chair until halfway through when Jack's house is turned around and the stage is transformed! There are usually lots of gasps of surprise. We also grow a beanstalk in a surprising way. The design is by Steffie Mueller from Hoipolloi Theatre, who I am currently touring with in the States.

Did you stick to the traditional, well-known fairytale, or is there anything significantly different about the storyline? Why did you decide to pick this story?

I love traditional stories. We all know them so well that in some ways it is a challenge to find exciting ways of telling the story, and the audiences always appreciate that. Mostly I have stuck to the well-known story - it's the way we tell it that is so different.

What kind of music do you use in the production (I read a review that mentioned scrubbing brushes in buckets and flowerpots on strings!)?

The actors play saxophones, guitars, xylophones, drums, broomsticks and a hoover amongst other things. There are some very cool songs, including a salsa number by Milky-White the cow and a heavy-metal version of "Fee-fi-fo-fum".

How important is music in children's theatre?

I love using live music in theatre - after all people go to the theatre to see actors using their skills to act out a story, so to me it seems natural to use live music whenever possible. Its organic!

Do you think children are generally well-catered for in the theatre? Why did you decide to start Tiebreak Theatre Company?

I don't think there is enough good quality work for children - which is why I started Tiebreak. I hope that we have got more inventive over the years, because if there's one thing children don't tolerate, its being bored! So we try to keep it exciting. I always enjoy seeing the reactions of our audiences. If they get bored, we soon know about it!

Why would you encourage parents and teachers to bring children to see Jack and the Beanstalk? What do you think the play can offer that other forms of entertainment (cinema, TV, play stations etc...) cannot?

I think there is something magical about seeing people use traditional skills and talents to tell a story. In some ways it inspires the imagination in the same way that a good book does - and you always know that the performance taking place in front of you is unique. Half the fun can be seeing something go wrong and enjoying the way the actors work together to get over it. Theatre is really a form of storytelling - and having real people tell you a story is something I hope we can all relate to.

March 2005

Teaching drama to younger children can be a challenge.  However, they are already acting roles when they play with friends. Suspending disbelief is not something that many children will find difficult - it is very easy for them to believe that the classroom is a ship or that they are in their own house when they sit under a table. Improvising structured drama involves many new skills for the beginner - negotiating in a group, communicating ideas in language, delegating roles, then communicating physically and orally!  On top of this, if they are presenting their work, they need to learn to speak more loudly and clearly than usual.

This is the second part of an article detailing the successful story behind the publishing of 101 Drama Games and Activities.

As soon as the paperback arrived through the door, I rushed to pick it up.  Self-publishing may be the final word in vanity, but in this case I felt vindicated by the continuing demand and responses to my e-book.  Now that I had my first copy I could have a good look through it, checking the text and layout.  Self-publishing means you don't have to deal with an agent or a publisher, but it does mean doing all your own proof-reading (with a little help from your friends).  Being able to order a single copy meant that I could easily make alterations and updates, order another copy and check it again.  I began to sell the book through my website, giving a link to the Lulu sales page but also distributing copies from home.  This entailed ordering larger numbers from Lulu, with the advantage that the unit cost was lower and I was able to make a higher profit.

This is a simple and effective way for using still images to tell a story.  It also mimics the technique of blackouts on stage – with no technical equipment required!  Divide the class into small groups and give them the task of telling a story using a specific number of still images - between three and five images is a good number.  Now they must work out the story and practice moving from image to image.  When the time comes for sharing the work, the teacher, or one person in each group, should take responsibility for saying “Open” and “Close”.

The audience should close their eyes while the first group gets into position.  When the group has its first image ready, the designated person says “open”.   The audience open their eyes for a few moments and look at the scene.  Now the same person says “close” and the audience close their eyes again.  Quickly, the group moves into the second position and the audience are asked to open their eyes when the group is ready.  The process is repeated until all the still images have been shown.  The technique has a similar effect to watching a series of photographs or a flickering film. 

If you are looking for a variety of sources on the internet for teaching Shakespeare, have a look at the 'travel manual' posted on the Royal Shakespeare Company website.  This has been written by Dr Christie Carson, senior lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London and offers

• Primary resources for textual studies: A range of textual archives
• Primary resources for performance history: The work of creative practitioners and theatre companies
• Teaching materials: Established resources that come out of a single approach

Download Christie Carson's 'travel manual' to find your way around the Shakespeare resources on the internet.