'Pop-up puppet show' brings unicorns and dragons to Plymouth school

It is almost the end of the school term, and what better way to celebrate the start of the holidays than with a pop-up theatre performance.

A group of Plymouth schoolchildren are being treated to outdoor shows, thanks to a unique project run by the city's Theatre Royal.

'With Flying Colours' has been working in local schools in Devonport, Stonehouse, Keyham and Stoke to create new school plays and performances.

Creative producer Jess Blackledge said: "Our methodology is co-creation, so it's about making theatre with young people, rather than just for them. We work with an array of artists and an array of schools across the city.

"They work with the young people, they collect their ideas and their bits of imagination and turn it into a performance and perform it back to them.

"The kids are loving it, it's been a tough year for them and this is a way to round off their academic year with something exciting and fun."

The project is targeted at the poorer areas of the city, and for many of these pupils this will be the first time they have ever experienced live theatre.

Jacqueline Slade, from Stiltskin Theatre Company, said: "It's really interesting to see some children who haven't had any exposure to theatre, how they react using their voices and their expressions. Watching their faces is lovely, and hearing their gasps as a giant dragon comes out is fantastic."