Oxford Playhouse announces new Playhouse Plays Out Tent tour and theatre open days as rehearsals begin for The History of (Almost) Everything.

Oxford Playhouse today announces that the Playhouse Plays Out Tent will be back touring across the city and county this summer. Visiting schools and community venues, The Playhouse bring to life Ben Watson’s The History of (Almost) Everything, a brand-new family show that whisks audiences through multiple chapters of history with a playful modern-day twist.

The tour will conclude in July with two days of free performances and family-friendly activities and workshops at Oxford Playhouse.

The History of (Almost) Everythingby Ben Watson takes young audiences on an interactive journey through time, exploring how individuals can shape the world and bring about change. Journeying to Ancient Greece and Egypt, the Roman Empire and beyond, there are also plenty of references to Oxfordshire’s rich past, reminding audiences that history isn’t just something that happens elsewhere – it also happens close to home.

To engage young audiences, the show brings historical figures to life through a modern lens, using contemporary references. From Cleopatra reimagined as a pop icon to King John reimagined as a power-hungry modern dictator, the show playfully bridges the past and present. Music plays a key role, with classics like Proud Mary – symbolising the invention of the wheel – to a unifying finale with the Time Warp.

(Our Country’s Good, Blue Stockings), the production stars two storytellers, Hannah Bainbridge and Emily Vinnicombe. Ben Watson’s play originally began as a one-person Edinburgh fringe show and was staged for young audiences by Oxford Playhouse in 2019. This newly updated version is bang up to date with history for today’s audiences – a 60-minute entertaining, silly and sometimes surreal journey, hurtling through history.

During the tour over 2,000 school children will see the show on-site within their primary schools and take part in creative workshops led by Oxford Playhouse. The tent will also play at Florence Park’s FloFest and the Oxford Children’s Hospital to community audiences.

Director Paul Simpson said:

“We’re delighted to bring Ben Watson's hilarious show, The History of (Almost) Everything, to audiences in the Playhouse Plays Out Tent this summer. This play is hugely entertaining and informative for young people, and we’re thrilled to have reimagined it for audiences this year. The good, the bad and the ugly characters from history will come to life in schools across Oxfordshire in this fun, interactive show, where children can celebrate and learn something new about the past, whilst thinking about their own place in the world of the future."

The tent will visit eight schools throughout the tour, travelling all over the city and county. After each performance, the Oxford Playhouse team will also deliver a range of drama workshops for the school pupils, from Years 3 to 6 to enjoy.

Participation and Learning Officer Alice Whitfield-Jessop, who coordinates the school visits, said:

As part of the tour, we deliver interactive workshops following each performance to extend the learning experience from the stage into the classroom. Led by experienced theatre professionals, these workshops support the curriculum, and it’s a pleasure to help inspire children to learn through creativity and drama.

Now in its 13th year, the Playhouse Plays Out Tent is free for all participating schools thanks to generous funding from Trusts & Foundations and Playhouse supporters. The tour is focused on areas with low cultural provision or schools where attending the theatre might not be possible. The project is a vital part of the outreach and community work that Oxford Playhouse undertakes each year, supporting its vision to be A Playhouse for Everyone.

In July, The Playhouse will bring the show home to its Main Stage for two days of free performances and family-friendly activities. Children aged 7 to 11 can also take part in free Youth Theatre taster sessions – a chance for them to step into the spotlight themselves.

The Playhouse Plays Out Tent tour and Open Days are free to attend. The tent at Flo Fest does not require tickets but some activities at the Playhouse Open Days will need to be booked in advance.