A Blog for Children's Mental Health Week by Artistic Director, Annie Rigby

Shadow puppets of a child playing underneath a thunder cloud next to buildings.

Mason: “I’ve got a really good idea. Let’s turn the lights off.”

Me: “…?”

Mason: “Then we’ll see how good the puppet theatres look.”

Me: “Ok, but first let’s tell everyone that’s what we’re doing.”

We turn the lights off. Mason turns the shadow theatre lamps on. He was right. It looks beautiful.

It’s Wednesday evening in the sports hall at Byker Primary. It’s one of our regular East End Story Maker sessions. 17 children and 4 grown-ups look and listen in the dark. Some of them start playing with the shadow puppets they’ve been making with Liv – houses, a thunder cloud, puppet children, owls. Some of the group start spinning slowly and spreading out across the room, dancing in the dark. Some start making wolf howl and owl noises.

After a few minutes of this I say, “Ok, let’s turn the lights back on.” Michael tries to. They don’t come back on. Sarah explains that the lights in the sports hall work on some kind of timer system. It will take 10 minutes or so for them to warm up.

Alex turns his phone light on. Some of the children gather in front of it and carry on reading the script they’ve been working on with Wambui. Others carry on playing in the half light.

Why am I telling you this? Because later at home I thought, “This is the happiest I’ve felt in weeks.”

Unfolding Theatre makes theatre by bringing surprising combinations of people together. A few weeks ago, we talked with our trustees about the mission that lies beneath this. To build connections across social division. One of our trustees, Mark Robinson said, “But why? What difference does it make? What are we doing it for?” This wasn’t an expression of doubt. It was an invitation to think more deeply.

So, what difference does it make? It’s a massive question. I could talk about the damage caused by division. How these divisions are being widened by certain politicians and press. About social media echo chambers that generate hate and judgement. About what we lose when we make assumptions rather than have conversations.

But that’s for another day. Right now I just want to say, building connections makes us happier.

I could dig out some of Unfolding Theatre’s statistics. In 2021-22 so far, 93% of children say they feel happier for taking part. Feedback describes, “The best time of my life.” But perhaps most vividly for me, it’s in the fabric of our East End Story Maker sessions. Alex teaching Mohammed and Princess how to cook quesadillas for the rest of the group. Sara’s massive smile every time she arrives. One mum tells us she wasn’t sure about bringing her son tonight – that he’s got a lot on his plate – but that he was adamant he wanted to come. Laila’s Mum talking about how happy they are to be back after having Covid.

Building connections makes us happier. That’s true for the children and it’s true for me. 

The lights come back on. 

East End Story Makers is funded by Well NewcastleGateshead.

Unfolding Theatre is supported by Arts Council England and Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund.