What we do
Big Brum is one of the most established TiE companies in the UK, we have a national and international reputation for a unique way of working with young people, developing Theatre in Education as a discrete art form, and producing challenging new theatre and drama which resonates strongly with young hearts and minds.
Big Brum offers new plays and participatory Theatre in Education (TiE) programmes, touring to primary and secondary schools to help benefit the curriculum through culture and creativity.
We combine live performance with workshops and also provide supporting resources for teachers. We’re passionate about helping children and young people develop new ways of thinking, problem-solving and confidently interacting with the dilemmas of the complex world around them. Our mission is to teach young people not what to think, but how to think.
Take a look at the evaluation reports that demonstrate the quality and impact of our work ⟶
Primary Schools
For Primary schools, we deliver highly impactful Theatre in Education programmes with one class at a time, to give children their first experience of professional theatre and the benefits of arts education. In recent years we have toured new versions of fairy tales and Greek myths as well as a powerful quartet of plays exploring the First World War. We have extensive evidence attesting to positive learning outcomes for children, especially children who are least engaged with their learning.
Secondary Schools
For secondary schools, we tour re-imagined classic texts as well as brand new plays and learning programmes, helping young people explore contemporary issues and dilemmas through the highest quality theatre and drama. Our work is particularly relevant to the study of English and Drama and contextually for PSHE, SMSC and RE. Recent tours include ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ touring in 2020 with ‘Paper Umbrella’, a new play inspired by the Grenfell Tower Fire, and a ‘Macbeth’ tour in 2018 in tandem with ‘Flee’, a new play about a young Syrian refugee.
Universities
We work with a number of different universities in the midlands, where our work is studied as the highest quality Theatre in Education for young people. Our most developed university partnership is with Birmingham City University, where we help train new PGCE drama teachers, as well as co-managing a Masters course in Drama Teaching and Learning.
Learners with disabilities
We specialise in helping disabled young people learn through theatre. Our 2018 project report on Young People with Physical Disabilities <link> proves how young people of all abilities can engage with profound and meaningful questions about their own humanity, helping their educators and families support their learning.
Our story so far
Founded in 1982, we became a registered charity in 1983. Led initially by theatre-maker Peter Wynne-Wilson, Big Brum now has almost 40 years of experience in touring new TiE programmes and creating site-specific community projects.
Our team are based at Sheldon Community Centre in the Yardley Constituency in east Birmingham, and our tours are mainly in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Big Brum is led by a board of charity trustees, with Artistic Director Richard Holmes and staff members Judy Woodford, Ben Ballin, Stacy Johnson and Zoe Simon.
Our 9 Principles of Working
Young people are not undeveloped adults but are human beings in their own right – through their own experiences and understanding, we help them get to the heart of what it is to be human. Our Theatre in Education programmes are delivered according to our nine main principles of engagement with children and young people, leading to extensive positive results with learning outcomes for children.