Published: 25 Mar 2026
We welcomed 325 young people from 13 schools and alternative provisions across 13 London Boroughs and beyond...
On Tuesday 24 February, in partnership with Stratford East, we hosted our first Off-West-End Education Matinee of Here There Are Blueberries, generously supported by Steffanie Diamond Brown.
Our Education Matinees are designed to enable young people to enjoy often their first theatrical experience surrounded by their peers and feel inspired to return. We focussed on getting tickets to state secondary schools and pupil referral units with high pupil premium, and were able to offer tickets for £10 across the auditorium.
This powerful play tells the story of a mysterious album featuring Nazi-era photographs that arrives at the desk of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist. Based on real events, Here There Are Blueberries tells the story of these historical photographs—what they reveal about the perpetrators of the Holocaust, and our own humanity.
The matinee also included an insightful Q&A session led by Amanda Parker alongside cast members Paksie Vernon, Clifford Samuel and original creator of the production Scott Barrow.
Watch our video to hear from everyone involved in this important collaboration:
- 41.52% average Pupil Premium percentage across the schools that attended (national average is 28%)
- 28% of the pupils attended the theatre for the first time
- 97% of teachers thought the experience met their expectations
- 38% of the pupils that attended had English as an Additional Language (EAL)
- 53% of the pupils that attended have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
- 98% of the pupils expressed an interest in returning to the theatre again
Student feedback showed the impact of such a powerful play and how both educationally and emotionally relevant the experience was:
‘It was really insightful and really sad at the same time, I didn’t realise just how many people were harmed during the holocaust.’
‘I found it very moving and interesting.’
‘It made me question what I would do in that situation.’
‘The use of the photographs was so clever.’
Teacher satisfaction reached an all time high with 97% finding the experience meeting or exceeding their expectations! This positive response was paired with valuable feedback that highlighted further student engagement by incorporating more direct questions from the students themselves in the Q&A.
‘This is a really useful GCSE resource and valuable for students studying Drama’
‘It would be good to include more questions from students themselves.’
‘It was great’
‘Interesting to hear about the rehearsal process and how the company dealt with such a sensitive subject’
Huge thanks to all the cast, creatives, production team and Stratford East for working with us to create this impactful experience!
Accessible and inclusive programmes like this are just not possible without your support.
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Videographer: Harry Andrews
Video Editor: www.chaaustaoglu.com
