Handprint Theatre aims to create theatre which is accessible to both Deaf and Hearing Integrated audiences not segregating but allowing all to see performances which communicate across language, disability or culture. 

Using puppetry, physical theatre, British Sign Language and a combination of anything they can get their hands on, the company strive to make a new style of theatre.

Marian Hoddy and Laura Goulden co-founded the Handprint Theatre during their third year at The University of Reading whilst studying Theatre Arts, Education and Deaf Studies.  The team is a collaboration of exciting new Deaf and hearing performers and workshop facilitators.

'As school collaborators I have been honoured to work alongside and learn from the team at Handprint who have critically reshaped how teachers and young people view the role of drama and theatre arts in delivering the curriculum in innovative and creative ways. Their inimitable combination of humour, openness and ingenuity make them a very approachable company to work with as they smoothly guide participants of all abilities and experiences towards fresh ways of working and seeing.' Lizzie Monaghan, Creative Agent 2011

Some of their qualities:

• integrating Deaf, SEN and mainstream pupils in one exercise/one class
• flexible to develop projects on ANY topic, specific for individual schools
• interactive learning, very hands-on
• creative curriculum
• visual literacy
• extra-curricular opportunities
• Deaf awareness

Workshops

Using an integrated style of working we can provide workshops based on the curriculum, social issues or text based projects.

With experience working in various school and youth settings, we look forward to finding out more about your group and developing projects with you, so that each workshop we provide is specifically tailored to the group participating.

We have previously worked with groups from a variety of backgrounds and abilities. Projects have included:

Year 1 - Houses and Homes - Cross curricular project

Year 2 - Florence Nightingale

Year 2 - DT Puppetry Making

- World Book Day                                         - Anti bullying

- Macbeth                                                     - Aborigines

- WW2                                                           - Little Red Riding Hood

- The Cost of Living                                      - Gangs & Groups

Productions

- The Person behind the Profile

How many times a day do you check your facebook? Can you eat your breakfast without updating your status?

What is the impact of social media on young people? The stalker, the friend request, and that dreaded relationship status, can any of us now escape these labels!?

A comic yet touching story of a girl who falls deeper and deeper into a virtual world, forgetting that sometimes social media will play games with us!

Supporting educational workshop available.

 - Soapy Sam

Theatre for Children.

Sam LOVES hiding, especially when it’s bath time. But what happens when  adventurers play with the plug? Using puppetry, physical theatre, combined with British Sign Language, small things are made into large characters. Handprint Theatre ignites the imagination of all, as the magic from beneath the bath starts to bubble...

This piece was created for Children aged 2-8.

It has been redeveloped and is currently touring as a project in Schools working in conjunction with a Visual Literacy and Creative Communication programme.

Supporting educational workshop available.

- A Suburban Silent Movie

Love at first sight, escaping a jealous villain and running away into the moonlight is not the classic silent movie we are telling; and this story is definitely no picnic!

Will the jealous Baron get his evil way, will our heroine’s days be numbered, will our hero save the day, or will ‘planned’ engineering works get in the way?

Our Characters have escaped from the confines of the cinema screen, and are free to run riot throughout the streets of the festival. As does Charlie Chaplin, hints of our current political frustration develops playfully throughout the surreal silent movie, we are able to laugh, to cry, and ultimately feel the blows of a new vibrant and current piece.

Key Information
Experience working with:

• Deaf
• SEN
• EAL
• Mainstream Primary
• Mainstream Secondary