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www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk EDITORIAL Phone +44 78813 16803 Email drama.theatre@markallengroup.com Acting editor Freya Parr Acting commissioning editor Amy Driscoll Acting news editor Florence Lockheart Design Hal Bannister EDITORIAL BOARD Ali Warren Co-founder, Open Drama UK Helen Matravers Artistic director, Polka Theatre Michèle Taylor, MBE Director for change, Ramps on the Moon Sarah Lambie Previous Drama & Theatre editor, actor Dr Steve Ball Teacher, DTEA Chair Suzann McLean, MBE CEO and artistic director, Theatre Peckham Rob Young Head of Technical Training, LAMDA ADVERTISING Head of Sales Amy Driscoll, +44 (0)20 7333 1719 amy.driscoll@markallengroup.com Production Controller Daniela Di Padova, +44 (0)20 7333 1727 Daniela.DiPadova@markallengroup.com SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES Phone UK 0800 137201 Overseas +44(0)1722 716997 Email subscriptions@markallengroup.com Subscriptions Manager Bethany Foy UK Subscription Rate £55 PUBLISHING Phone +44(0)20 7738 5454 Publisher Amy Driscoll Managing Director Ravi Chandiramani Head of Marketing Will Woodrow Senior Marketing Executive Max Crowland Marketing Graduate Yzanne Pepper Group Institutional Sales Manager Jas Atwal Production Director Richard Hamshere Circulation Director Sally Boettcher Chief Operating Officer Jon Benson Chief Executive Officer Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen Part of www.markallengroup.com Drama & Theatre, ISSN 1755-6716, is published twice each term of the academic year by MA Education & Music Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB, United Kingdom. Subscription records are maintained at MA Education & Music Ltd, Unit A, Buildings 1-5 Dinton Business Park, Catherine Ford Road, Dinton, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP3 5HZ. © MA Education & Music Ltd, 2025. All rights reserved. No part of Drama & Theatre may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publishing director. The views expressed edo not necessarily represent those of the editor. The presence of advertisements in Drama & Theatre implies no endorsement of the products or services offered. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of statements in this magazine but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for matters arising from clerical or printers’ errors, or an advertiser not completing their contract. We have made every effort to secure permission to use copyright material. Where material has been used inadvertently or we have been unable to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue. Please read our privacy policy by visiting http://privacypolicy. markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data. Printed in the UK by Pensord, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, NP12 2YA www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk Editorial Switch focus I t’s tempting, when trying to engage young minds and get them excited about theatre, to celebrate the spectacle of Lion King, the powerful storytelling of Phantom of the Opera or the raucous comedy of The Book of Mormon. But these hit West End shows aren’t made in a vacuum. Certainly, some have big names attached to them, so will always have had a platform, but what about shows like Six, which started life at the Edinburgh Fringe, and transferred their way into the heart of the West End? And it’s no different in the US. Hamilton – now one of the biggest musicals in the world and a major cultural export – first opened in the off-Broadway Public Theater. Without thriving Off-West End venues, many of these more examples of wholly original storytelling would never get the opportunity to become part of our cultural canon. What’s more, it’s these venues that are often at the helm of community engagement and education projects, so safeguarding their future is important for myriad reasons. Izzie Tyner investigates these in her feature on p22. Elsewhere this issue, we’re shining a light on some more accessible forms of theatre to appeal to a wider range of audiences and students. Our Performing Arts feature explores the potential of puppetry in engaging harder-to-reach students (p23), while our Practitioner Focus this issue is Eva Sampson, who creates relaxed and tailored performances for families and children with special needs (p32). We also meet some of the people at the heart of the theatre industries: Alice King‑Farlow, head of education at the National Theatre, joins us to reflect on the recent challenges and successes of the organisation’s education and outreach projects (p14), while our writer Tom Lydon meets musical theatre star Ruthie Henshall (p18). It’s been about a year since I hung up my hat as editor of Drama & Theatre, and it’s been a joy to briefly be back at the helm, working on these fascinating features and delving back into the endlessly evolving world of theatre education. Freya Parr, Editor @DramaAndTheatre fb.com/DramaTheatreMag dramaandtheatre.co.uk Twice each term of the academic year, Drama & Theatre brings you practical strategies, lesson plans, and inspiration to enhance your teaching. Whether you teach in a school context at primary or secondary level, lead extra-curricular drama workshops, or give private tuition, D &T is an invaluable resource written for teachers by teachers, playwrights and practitioners. Spring Term 2 2024/25 Drama & Theatre 5

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