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<\/a>Creating this kind of theatre is not a secondary or simplified task. On the contrary, it is a complex and delicate artistic challenge. When approached with honesty and care, such work can become a child\u2019s first truly meaningful encounter with live art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, parental scepticism is understandable. Can a very young child really \u201cunderstand\u201d anything? Are they mature enough to recognise emotions or follow a story? What if they cannot sit still? Moreover, the same performance can have a completely different effect on different children \u2013 or even on the same child at different moments in time.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>Kate Cross, director at The Egg<\/em><\/u><\/em>,<\/u><\/a> points out that the problem often lies not with children, but with \u201ctheir\u201d adults:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey explain everything that\u2019s going on. They misread fidgeting as not enjoying or taking on board. They force their child onto the stage and then take a photo of them. They sit on their phones throughout the play. They do not appreciate the children talking even though this is part of the decoding process. They think they need to understand what is going on because they are the adult. They get cross therefore if its too abstract. They don\u2019t trust the child\u2019s capacities. They are going to a play for social climbing reasons rather than to develop artistic intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where tension frequently arises. Adults fear a \u201cbad experience\u201d for the child and project their own expectations onto them. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that some children\u2019s programmes genuinely prioritise entertainment or simplification over the development of perception and sensitivity \u2013 and this understandably alienates many parents.<\/p>\n\n\n Artist and co-founder of Long Nose Puppets<\/em><\/u><\/em>,<\/u><\/a> Katherine Morton, reflects on this experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe most surprising thing about making theatre in today’s world for me is the heartening reminder that children don’t change and they come to the theatre open and ready to go on a journey. They want to laugh and join in and are not held back by expectations or social constructs. I feel children get a bad reputation with labels such as ‘poor attention span’ or ‘disruptive’. From our experience, a child will usually give you his or her full honest reaction and sit for quite a lot of time if the piece is engaging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n Another issue is the existence of poorly made work. Cameron Reynolds, artistic director of Groove Baby<\/em><\/u><\/em><\/a>, puts it bluntly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToo often producers are looking to shape an existing artist into a young audience performer – rather than looking for people who are naturally gifted and driven to make this work. It often feels like a dumbing down or cash in because the creators hearts are not really in it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, many productions aim to explain everything, spell out meanings, guide children towards the \u201cright\u201d conclusion and provide a clear moral. But children do not learn through explanation alone. They learn through experience \u2013 through being immersed, affected and involved. Good theatre does not impose meaning; it leaves space for it to emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Neuroscientific research confirms that the first three years of life play a crucial role in shaping the brain and its neural connections. Visual, auditory and aesthetic experiences during this period have a profound impact. Theatre for a largely non-verbal audience therefore requires artists to rethink traditional dramaturgy. Linear storytelling gives way to sensory, audience-centred forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This, in turn, raises another question: what about stage adaptations of children\u2019s books? Surely children want to see their favourite characters brought to life? This, however, is a subject for a separate discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n Young audiences respond with remarkable sensitivity to injustice. They shout at villains, support heroes and try to intervene. Their sense of justice is emotional and immediate. At The Well Walk Theatre<\/em><\/u><\/em><\/a>, practitioners emphasise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe deliberately avoid work that is condescending to children or that underestimates their intelligence and sensitivity. We approach our shows for very young audiences with the same care and rigour we would apply to work for adults, paying close attention to detail, well-crafted costumes, thoughtfully designed sets, and a strong overall aesthetic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>