A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole: How a Theatre Visit Sparked Curiosity, Confidence and Creativity

Thanks to support from a theatre works! grant, hundreds of young people recently stepped into a world of live performance through a school trip to Alice: Return to Wonderland at Sherman Theatre and the impact has been nothing short of magical.

For many pupils, this was their first experience of live theatre. For others, it was a chance to see what theatre can be when it’s vibrant, playful, and alive right in front of you. Across secondary and primary schools, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with teachers and pupils alike describing an experience that was inspiring, joyful, and genuinely transformative.

‘I went WOOOOW.’

From the moment the curtain lifted, pupils were hooked. One Year 8 student perfectly captured that first spark of wonder:

‘Curtain revealing the stage at the start to see the set. I went WOOOOW.’

The visual storytelling made a powerful impression. Students praised the fast-moving scene changes, imaginative set design, and bold lighting choices:

‘The set design was great. The way they moved from scene to scene were really quick and clever.’
‘Lighting was really cool… it looked sick with the Dragon and the light up floor.’

Many pupils commented that the production felt more exciting than watching a film, because everything was happening live, right in front of them:

‘It was better than watching a movie, really engaging because of the lights, set and singing. I wanted to be in it!’

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Teachers reported that the visit didn’t end when the students left the theatre. At Willows High School, the trip fed directly into classroom learning. GCSE Drama students used the performance as the basis for theatre reviews in preparation for their written exams, while younger pupils referenced the actors’ performances when developing their own skills.

One teacher noted that the experience had widened students’ understanding of what a future in theatre could look like:

‘The design elements really inspired these students and they have since applied for work experience… to look at other elements outside acting within the world of Theatre.’

The enthusiasm was so strong that the school is now considering reshaping a Year 8 scheme of learning around Alice in Wonderland due to student demand.

At Palmerston Primary School, the experience was part of a deeper journey. Through the theatre’s Adopt An Actor scheme, pupils exchanged letters, videos, and photos with performers throughout the rehearsal process, before finally meeting them after the show.

This connection brought theatre to life in a deeply personal way. Pupils arrived confident, curious, and ready to ask thoughtful questions, skills that teachers noted had a clear impact on literacy, speaking, and listening.

After the visit, students continued role-playing scenes in their own time, choosing drama independently and seeing theatre as something accessible and possible for them.

Of course, learning was only part of the story. Pupils spoke again and again about how much fun the show was:

‘It was really funny, really engaging to the audience.’
‘The Songs. The songs were really good and fun.’
‘The Mad Hatter, he was so funny, he always talked about the cup of tea.’

Others connected deeply with the emotional heart of the story:

‘The storyline of Alice telling Carys why she stopped playing games, it was sad but happy.’

Even students who didn’t expect to enjoy a musical found themselves surprised:

‘Even though I don’t usually like musicals, I really enjoyed it.’
‘It’s in my top three shows I’ve ever seen.’

What this trip demonstrated so clearly is the power of access. With the support of the theatre works! grant, pupils who might not otherwise have visited a theatre were able to experience high-quality live performance — and to see themselves reflected in it.

As one teacher put it, the trip helped students see theatre not as something distant, but as something they could be part of.

And perhaps the clearest sign of success?

‘A high number have asked when the next trip to the theatre is.’

Sometimes, all it takes is one performance to light the spark.