Cookies: a new play that confronts cyber bullying
EduCare’s partners, anti-bullying charity Kidscape, are supporting a ground breaking West End production which will confront the issue of cyber bullying.
Kidscape’s vision is for all children to grow up in a world free from bullying and harm, with adults who keep them safe and help them to reach their full potential. They are working with Masterclass and Pure Land to present a new play called ‘Cookies’ which has been written by Emily Jenkins, a Fringe First Award winner. The play will be shown for two performances at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 29th October 2017.
Extensive research was conducted to ensure the play’s themes were current and representative of today’s culture and society. The results of the research will be collated into a free resource pack for schools and education providers across the United Kingdom as a way of helping to raise awareness and combat the ever-growing issues of cyber bullying and digital security.
The play is set in the modern day, in a world of gaming, vlogging, instant messaging and streaming. The online and offline worlds of four teenagers collide when each are exposed to cyber bullying and a darker side to their digital lives.
Inspired by the experiences of 120 students, Cookies covers an astonishing digital journey that questions the effects and consequences of cyber bullying.
Cookies has been commissioned and developed for The Cyberscene Project; an inspirational theatre initiative created by The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust in partnership with Kidscape and generously funded by Pure Land Foundation. The project aims to use theatre to support the health and well-being of young people affected by cyber bullying and to raise awareness of not only the dangers of being online, but also the positives too.
Speaking about the play, Emily Jenkins said;
“For those who have grown up with the internet it has become almost as fundamental to daily life - as elemental - as oxygen. We are still discovering the rules and intricacies of existing within this world; yet it is young people themselves who are most aware of the difference it makes.
This play has come directly from what young people shared with me about their daily online lives; and their extraordinary and terrifying online experiences. Before we tell them what they should do or how they should behave we need to listen to what they have to say. This is not my story. It is theirs.”
Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO of children’s charity Kidscape, said;
“It's vital that as adults seeking to support children with bullying issues we strive to understand their lives and the situations they face. This enthralling performance will challenge us to engage on a much deeper level with young people, many of whom stand in the front line in the war against cyber bullying and online abuse. It tests our assumptions, urging us to explore their realities and work with them to find new solutions.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing cyber bullying and you would like some additional support please visit Kidscape’s website for further guidance.
Cookies
29th October 2017
3pm & 6:30pm – TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY
Theatre Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4HT
Tickets: http://www.trh.co.uk/whatson/cookies/
Box Office: 020 7930 8800
#CookiesPLAY
Prices
From £7.50
