Our Company

RTPA is a Theatre in Education company that was started by BTEC Performing Arts students from Richard Taunton Sixth Form College.

We are devising a piece of theatre as a class that focuses on the contrast and parallels of World War one and modern wars of today, such as the current war over in Afghanistan. We are focusing predominantly on the change and movement of Women in War. Our piece is taking real life war heroines and adapting their stories for a KS4 audience in local schools: Upper Shirley High, Redbridge and Cantell.

Through our association with Mayflower Theatre and the work of their Engage department with local young people and communities we are working with support from the National Theatre tour of War Horse.The National Theatre created and adapted pieces such as "WarHorse" and founded National Theatre Shell Connections for young people. We are specifically working to create a piece of theatre that incorporates the same message, "A Hymn To Peace" as seen in "WarHorse" based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo to show how war has evolved throughout time. Our piece aims to honour and acknowledge those who have fought for our country in both WW1 and in Afghanistan today, as well as following the story of Dorothy Thompson, an English reporter who secretly posed as a man to become a solider in WW1.Our devising journey has taken us back in time where we have learnt about the history of WW1 and the plight of women trying to establish equal status in a time dominated by men. Our modern explorations of the Afghanistan war has opened our eyes to our current day heroes and the sacrifices they make to go to war, but also how our soldiers are forging and developing relationships with the local communities to encourage peace. 

Our piece will travel backwards and forwards throughout time to cross between two worlds (WW1 and today) to show how both are caught in one war.

The National Theatre’s Learning programme on tour is generously supported by The Dorset Foundation.