First Steps Into the Theatre: A Cinderella Story at Norwich Theatre
For 240 pupils from West Earlham Junior School, a visit to Norwich Theatre Royal to see Cinderella was far more than a festive treat, it was a first step into a world many had never encountered before.
Supported by a theatre works! grant, this visit opened the doors of a major regional theatre to children for whom live performance had previously felt distant, unfamiliar, or out of reach. For 80% of the pupils attending, it was their very first time inside a theatre.
‘What is a theatre?’
In the lead-up to the trip, staff at the school were struck by just how unknown theatre was to many of their pupils. Some had never been to a theatre, a pantomime, or even a cinema. The scale of the building, the lights, the noise, and the audience experience were hard to imagine and for some children, that uncertainty brought anxiety.
To support pupils and families, the school created a social story shared in assemblies and classrooms, walking through the journey, the building, theatre etiquette, and the joyful participation that pantomime invites from booing the baddies to joining in with a well-timed ‘Oh no it isn’t!’
For some pupils, the adventure began before they even reached the theatre:
‘We went into the city, I don’t often leave Earlham so it was cool to go to the pantomime on a bus.’ – Year 6 pupil
Spotting Norwich landmarks from the coach, travelling together as a school, and entering the Theatre Royal created a sense of occasion that many pupils had never experienced before.
Inside, the impact was immediate.
‘The Theatre was marvellous, I loved every bit.’ – Year 4 (age 8) pupil
‘There were lots of people and laughing and we got to have snacks and see the real people on stage.’ – Year 3 (age 7) pupil
Even pupils who found the experience overwhelming at first, reflected positively afterwards:
‘It was busy and louder than expected, but I liked it.’ – Year 5 (age 10) pupil
Teachers described pupils being completely absorbed by the performance emotionally invested, vocal, and present.
‘The children were in awe of their experience and when in the theatre they lived through every minute, booing at the baddies, laughing with ‘Buttons’, wowing in amazement at the ‘Fairy Godmother’, cheering at the happy ending.’
One Year 4 pupil summed it up simply:
‘It was absolutely fantastic, I really loved it. I liked the lady who came down from the sky.’
For many children, this wasn’t just entertainment, it was their first encounter with live storytelling on this scale, with performers sharing the same space, responding to the audience, and creating something unforgettable in real time.
The impact
The impact of the trip extended well beyond the performance itself. Parents shared how much their children talked about the visit before and after, reliving moments and retelling the story at home.
‘My child talked about it before and after we went… I am really pleased they could go. Thank you.’ – Parent of Year 5 student
‘They returned saying it was the best panto ever.’ – parent of Year 3 student
For some families, the trip also addressed a barrier they had quietly carried for years, the cost of tickets, transport, and making theatre feel like something ‘for people like us.’
As one parent shared, attending as a family simply isn’t always possible, which makes opportunities like this even more meaningful.
This partnership between Norwich Theatre, the school, and theatre works! didn’t just deliver a brilliant pantomime it created a shared cultural experience that many pupils and families had never had access to before.
As one teacher reflected:
‘A partnership like this one provides an experience that will stay with our young people for a lifetime and might be the spark they needed to ignite a future they had not considered previously.’
For 240 children, Cinderella wasn’t just a story about transformation. It was proof that theatre is a place they belong, a place of joy, imagination, and possibility.