Dear Schools...

As you may or may not know, since December I have been working for Rainbow Theatre Company, touring around primary schools, performing plays teaching kids about history. 

I know full well that despite the early mornings and such, I am very lucky to have a job that many would consider 'easy' (don't get me on to why it isn't... so many people underestimate the amount of dedication, hard work and good acting skills required for TIE), and importantly one that I love doing. 

Which is why I would like to say a little thank you to some of the schools I have toured to, not for making my job any easier, but for not making it unnecessarily difficult. So...

Dear (some) Schools,

Thank you. 

Thank you for making me feel like a visitor in your school. Thank you for showing us where we can make a cup of tea when we arrive (in all likelihood we have been awake since 5am, and a little help waking up never goes amiss!), a bigger thank you to the teachers who offer to make us tea themselves. The biggest thank you to the one or two schools who have offered us lunch. That was entirely unexpected and extremely generous of you. And tasty (school meals eh, who knew?).

Thank you for understanding we have lots of (sometimes heavy) props and allowing us to park near the hall entrance for five minutes while we unload, instead of making us lug everything along your long, winding corridors. Thank you for holding the doors open when you see us approaching with said heavy props, and for teaching your pupils to perform that same, basic politeness instead of letting them run and push in front of us. 

Thank you for letting your receptionists, caretakers and kitchen staff know we are coming, so they have time to make allowances in their busy schedules, instead of treating us like a nuisance (you did book us, remember, we haven't just wandered in off the street demanding to perform for you). And thank you for reminding them that we are (CRB-checked) visitors, and not a potential murderer or corrupter of your wards. You are setting an example for your children and thanks to you, they will view visitors, guests and strangers as 'innocent-until-proven-guilty', and thus help nurture a happier, trusting society.

Thank you for understanding that we need time to set up and prepare ourselves, and that when a show is due to start at 1:30pm, we really need full access to the room by 1pm if you want it to start on time. Thank you also for reminding your dinner ladies of this fact, and for employing sunny-smiled, pleasant people who don't look at us like we're the squashed peas on the floor they unfortunately have to sweep up.

We understand our presence might alter your usual school day, and so try as much as we can to stick to your schedule. Thank you for having a little flexibility if we are unable to.

Thank you for reading the teachers notes we sent in advance, and understanding what time we require the audience in the hall, how many student volunteers we need in advance and so on. An extra special thank you to the schools who teach the students any songs in advance, and encourage the students to dress up. It really makes the whole experience more enjoyable for them, and helps them to fully realise their roles in the shows.

And finally, the biggest thank you for having created well mannered, enthusiastic pupils who listen and engage with the subjects we are working on with them. Students who aren't afraid of being mocked by their peers for taking part and caring, an attitude which is far more healthy than holding a pretence of 'cool'.

Well. I did say some schools.

Ta ta, much love, mwah,

TIE actors across the country.