Crystal's Vardo: a theatrical production
Crystal's Vardo is a play targeted at key stage 2 Primary School children (7-11 year olds). The play forms part of one of our educational programmes, which is the result of collaboration with Brighton-based organisation, Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) to educate local communities about the widespread discrimination facing Gypsies and Travellers.
The Plot
Crystal is a young Gypsy girl who is bullied at school. Desperate to get away, she runs away from home with her Grandfather’s vardo and pony only to wake up in the grounds of another school, miles from anywhere familiar. At first she is wary of the school children, but realises she must trust them to help her find her way back. As she begins to tell them the story of her ancestors, something extraordinary happens and Crystal and her companions find themselves far back in time, when the first Gypsies migrated from Northern India.
By piecing together the shards of her ancestry, she regains a confidence in her own identity whilst raising the awareness of her new friends and enabling the vardo to find its way back.
The format
The play unfolds employing the use of traditional story-telling, music and projection. It is performed by three actors and the audience are invited to participate. At the conclusion of the play, Holocaust survivor and author, Ruth Barnett, talks to the children about the historical similarities between the experience of Jewish people and Gypsy and Traveller people.
Schools are provided with follow-up work which facilitates discussion, role-play and creative interpretation.
Aims
The aims of the play are to help address the reasons why children from different backgrounds are often bullied; to help break down barriers and enable the children to empathise and identify with the main character; to facilitate their acceptance that we are all different and embrace those differences. We aim to teach the audience something of the history and culture of Gypsies and Travellers by bringing it to life in a colourful and informative way, and in turn enabling Gypsy and Traveller children to be proud of their heritage.
Collaboration
Crystal's Vardo was written by Suzanna King, at Friends, Families and Travellers, and is being supported and supplemented by René Cassin. The production is one example of our organisations working together to combat discrimination facing Gypsies and Travellers.
Friends, Families and Traveller’s (FFT) is the only national charity that works on behalf of all Gypsies and Travellers regardless of ethnicity, culture or background.
The collaboration between René Cassin and Friends, Families and Travellers is important because of the shared aims, goals and vision with respect to ending discrimination facing Gypsies and Travellers.
More information
To request more information, or to book your school for a performance, please email info@renecassin.org with the subject 'Gypsy and Traveller play. You may download a flyer about the play by clicking here.
* Thank you to Chris Porsz for allowing the use of this photograph