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What was planned?

The New Opportunities Fund has part-funded a project in North Kirklees called 'Pandora’s Daughter'. The project provides workshops for schools incorporating Shakespeare, ancient myths and legends and puppet making into an educational and enjoyable context.

What was done and when?

Pandora's Daughter do a variety of educational workshops some of which are described below. All the work enables the children to use their imagination and natural creativity:

The Magic Attic

For this project a space in school is transformed into a 'Magic Attic, complete with eaves, cobwebs, old trunks and picture frames, and magical lighting. Different groups come in to meet various characters who may step out of an old picture frame or trunk and draw the children into their stories. Then the attic may become a seashore, a Greek Island, or anywhere else the story may lead to. Each character has an unfinished story, and the children are drawn in as protagonists. The children have tasks to perform, such as reading riddles, rhymes, clues and treasure maps. They may go on a treasure hunt, write poems and stories, create songs and make puppets, all to help the story move onto a happy conclusion. Finally they tell their own story in their own way.

Mrs Tropolis and her Sleeping City

This is a celebration of four festivals from around the world: Diwali, Christmas, Chinese New Year and Carnival. Puppets from nine inches to nine feet tall are used to bring Mrs Tropolis's stories to life.

The Summer Queen and Winter King or ‘How the Rainbow was made’.

This puppetry, poetry and percussion workshop is on the theme of the weather with a participatory story at the end using various types of puppets.