Special Performance of ‘The Gruffalo’ for three Oasis Schools in Birmingham

A new adaptation of the classic tale ‘The Gruffalo’ was performed especially for approximately 375 of our students from Birmingham. The production included deaf and hearing actors and singers, making it an all-inclusive theatre show blending spoken English, British Sign Language (BSL) and dynamic visual storytelling.

Pupils from Oasis Academy Boulton, Oasis Academy Woodview, and Oasis Academy Foundry were invited to watch the production on Tuesday 10^th January 2023 at Town Hall, Birmingham. The pupils were fortunate that ‘B:Music,’ a music charity who promote performing arts with participation and learning, funded the entire show for them through fundraising, as well as their transportation with National Express.

The internationally acclaimed Tall Stories group, who are behind the hour-long showcase, have been rated 4 stars by The Times, Sunday Times, and Daily Express. However, our pupils who watched the performance said: “we would give this show 5 stars because all of the actors are so fun, and we got to go on stage with them!”

This opportunity arose for our pupils through the community work that B:Music and our Oasis Hubs within the Birmingham region, do together. As an Oasis Hub, it is important to ensure that our pupils are connected with cultural experiences and are involved in events in their respected communities. Our Hubs have been successful in demonstrating this model, and how impactful it has been for our pupils in supporting opportunities for them and the larger communities.

Principal of Oasis Academy Boulton, Shilpa Rathore, commented: “This whole experience has been excellent for our students. They have been excited to join the cast on stage and have been fully immersed with the show. We can tell the students appreciated it even more due to the inclusivity of the performers and that has been wonderful to see.”

CEO of B:Music, Nick Reed, also said: “We were delighted to fund these tickets which allowed so many young people from Oasis Academies to enjoy The Gruffalo at Birmingham Town Hall. Developing a love of music brings so many health and wellbeing benefits, and B:Music works closely with our partners in the community to overcome barriers and unlock these benefits for everyone.”