Where Are You? Schools Tour
Where Are You? is our hybrid theatre production for families, created in collaboration with Accra Theatre Workshop (Ghana). It tells the story of two penpals, Rochi in Bearwood (UK) and Abena in Dzorwulu (Ghana), who embark on a perilous journey across land, mountains, sea, and bridges, courting danger and adventure in order to meet each other in the middle. The show features a mix of live performance, pre-recorded performance and animation, and is designed to take place simultaneously in the UK and Ghana, connected via a live stream.
The show was originally presented by the Birmingham 2022 Festival, and took place in June 2022 as a part of What’s In Store. The creative team crossed both locations and included Emelia Pinamang Asiedu, a theatremaker, performer and the Director of ATW; Rochi Rampal, a Birmingham-based theatremaker, writer and performer; Sabrina Nabi, a Birmingham-based performer; David Addo Gyan, an Accra-based music composer and sound designer; Michael Ellis, a Birmingham-based filmmaker; Andrew Dartey, an Accra-based illustrator and digital animator; and Abigail King, a Sandwell based theatre designer.
From November to December 2023, we toured the production to 5 schools across all 4 boroughs of the Black Country. Each school in the UK was paired with a school or children’s centre in Accra, Ghana, with the performances taking place simultaneously at both locations. The schools involved were Pens Meadow School, Dudley; Penn Hall School, Wolverhampton; St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Walsall; Oakham Primary School, Oldbury; and Bearwood Primary School, Smethwick. In Accra, Ghana, the performances took place at Therakidz, Woodfield Manor, Christ the King International School, Coastal Estates International School, and Graceland International School.
The tour was a success, and the show was enjoyed by both the children and their teachers. It was wonderful for children from two different cultures and countries to be able to experience a theatre performance together and connect with each other!
“‘Where Are You?’ was such a unique piece of work. The children seemed to love all elements. The way they talked about the story book alone; the animated gasps when elements of that story burst into life on screen in front of them in their own school hall; their fizzy-pop excitement when they got to meet and talk with children they’d never met before, thousands of miles away on another continent - that was all brilliant and a privilege to be a part of!”
Where Are You? was produced by Black Country Touring and Accra Theatre Workshop, originally commissioned by Birmingham 2022 Festival and supported by the British Council.
