Katy

The Vanishing Act is a cabaret-style theatre show that takes audiences on an exciting journey into the incredible world of insects. Created through a unique collaboration between Cap-a-Pie, Dr. Vivek Nityananda of Newcastle University, and local schoolchildren, the show blends cutting-edge science and creativity to explore the global decline of insects and celebrate their extraordinary capabilities. 

As the show heads to Northern Stage on Thursday 6 March, here’s a look at how this collaboration connects research, creativity, and community. 

Dr. Vivek Nityananda, a research fellow at Newcastle University, has a passion for making science accessible. His work focuses on how insects solve problems – like how bumblebees choose flowers or how praying mantises pick their prey. But why use theatre to communicate this research?  

“I think it’s a couple of things,” Vivek explains. “One is that I’ve been involved in theatre a lot myself, so it was a nice way of bringing together my interests. But also, I’ve been collaborating with Cap-a-Pie for many years now, since I first moved to Newcastle, really.” 

For Vivek, theatre offers something that traditional public lectures can’t. “Obviously, I do some scientific public lectures. But in some ways, theatre attracts different crowds. You might have people who come for the theatre, and then they get involved in the science in a very different way. I think that’s what’s useful.” 

“Too often, as researchers, we stay in our own community, writing papers for each other,” Vivek explains. “There’s a responsibility to make publicly funded research accessible to everyone.” 

At the heart of The Vanishing Act is a real and urgent challenge – the dramatic decline of insect populations across the world. 

“It’s a big challenge for scientists to find out why that’s happening and how we can resolve it,” says Vivek. “But also, I guess, for people to see how they can contribute – or even just to raise awareness that this is happening. It’s an important issue for everyone, not just scientists.” 

Through a mix of storytelling, acrobatics, and music, The Vanishing Act highlights just how fascinating and vital insects are. “Part of what the show wants to do is to highlight that insects are cool – to create appreciation and love for insects, which doesn’t always come naturally to us,” Vivek adds. 

The project began with classroom workshops where children explored insect behaviour, environmental challenges, and creative storytelling. These workshops not only sparked the children’s imaginations but also helped shape the performance. 

“The workshops let us take research out of the lab and into the community,” says Vivek. “It was exciting to see the kids acting as praying mantises and bees, imagining how they’d respond to the world around them.” 

Cap-a-Pie Artistic Director Brad McCormick emphasises the importance of involving children in the creative process: “Young people have such amazing imaginations, and their ideas bring the show to life. Their creativity adds so much colour, and it’s great to see their ideas reflected back to them on stage.” 

And those ideas truly made it into the final performance. “A lot of it comes in the lyrics that we put into the songs, and in the movements as well,” Vivek explains. “We’d talk about the importance of insects, and then you get these slightly offbeat and unusual responses from the kids. That creativity brought so much to the show.”  

For the children, seeing their ideas come to life in a professional performance was unforgettable. 

One student shared: “It was funny when we saw our actions in the show. Our faces turned red when we realised it was actually in it!” 

Another added: “Kids don’t have to worry about responsibilities, so they think of the most wacky ideas.” 

With The Vanishing Act coming to Northern Stage, Vivek is eager to see how audiences respond. 

“I’m really excited to see who turns up, what that cross-section of people will be like, and how they’ll receive it,” he says. “When we put on the work in progress version at the Star and Shadow, I really liked the questions people asked. It showed that they were thinking about it, that the concerns were there, and that they really appreciated what insects do in the world.” 

“I hope audiences gain a deeper appreciation for insects – their complexity and the amazing ways they function in the world. And for researchers, this project is a reminder of the importance of engaging with the public to share the excitement of discovery.” 

A panel discussion is planned for after the performance, something Vivek is particularly looking forward to. “Hopefully, we’ll get to hear what people felt when watching the play and have some really interesting discussions.” 

Alongside the live performance, the project includes an upcoming animation by artist Kate Sweeney, offering another way to explore these incredible creatures. 

“The animation is a bit different from the show,” Vivek explains. “It’s much more focused on our lab and the work we’ve been doing there. The idea behind it was to have something recorded that we could share widely. But now, we’re also planning to film the songs from the play and make those available online, which I really like. It’s great to have that record and continue engaging people beyond the live performance.” 

For Vivek, projects like The Vanishing Act offer important lessons for researchers looking to share their work with the public. 

“I think some of it is just how rewarding it is to actually go out into the community,” he says. “It’s a big change for us – rather than just focusing on our own conversations, it’s nice to have conversations more broadly. And it’s great knowing that people do engage with the research and know what’s happening. 

And what about the long-term impact? “Obviously, you never know. But I hope that having had this experience as children might change how they think about things as adults, how it might influence their choices. Even just how they do things in their own lives. That would be really rewarding.” 

If Vivek had to describe The Vanishing Act in just one sentence? 

“I think of it as a fun show to learn about something important and discover new, cool, amazing things about insects.” 

The Vanishing Act promises to be just that – fun, educational, and unforgettable. 

The music of The Vanishing Act is more than just a backdrop – it’s a key part of the story, helping to bring the insect world to life and highlight the urgency of protecting it. Composer and musician Jeremy Bradfield has created songs that capture the energy and personality of the insect characters while reflecting the show’s focus on their struggles and importance in the natural world.   

Jeremy describes his role as not just composing but working closely with the entire team. “I’ve collaborated with Hotspur Primary and Christ Church CE Primary Schools, Vivek Nityananda from Newcastle University, and the creative team to create the lyrics and music. It’s been a shared effort.” This collaborative process shaped the show’s songs, each with its own style to reflect the personalities of its three insect characters. 

“The show has a cabaret feel,” Jeremy explains. “That suggested an old-school jazz sound, but as the music developed, it ended up going in different directions. Each insect inspired its own musical style. One song has a pop feel, another is funky and disco-inspired, and there’s also a classic cabaret number. It’s been great fun exploring these different styles to match the characters and their stories.” 

At the heart of Jeremy’s process was balancing the show’s scientific themes with storytelling. “We wanted to include a lot of facts about insects – their behaviour, their importance – but it also needed to be fun and easy to follow,” he says. The challenge was turning complex ideas and packaging them in a way that was emotional, engaging and unforgettable. 

This collaboration extended to the students of Hotspur Primary School, whose ideas helped shape the music. “The kids were amazing,” Jeremy recalls. “We worked together to create lyrics for the song ‘We Did It First’, which is about how insects have been doing incredible things – things humans might think are unique – long before us.” The song started as a playful battle between insects and humans, but Jeremy worked to ensure it felt celebratory rather than combative. “We even recorded the kids’ voices for the backing track, so their ideas are part of the final music.” 

Jeremy also worked hard to capture the insects’ sounds and movements in his compositions. For example, ‘Now You See Me, Now You Don’t’ has a funky, rhythmic style that echoes the sleek and elusive nature of its subject, while ‘Just As Good As You’ uses a more traditional cabaret sound to reflect the storytelling element of the show. “Each song has its own mood and character, which helps bring the insects to life”, he says. 

For Jeremy, the project has been as much about learning as creating. “I’ve discovered so much about insects – their behaviour, their role in the ecosystem, and the challenges they face. It’s been fascinating to work through all that information and bring it into the music.” He hopes audiences will leave the show feeling both entertained and informed. “I want people to feel like they’ve learned something important, but in a way that’s stayed with them because it’s wrapped up in a great story and music.” 

As The Vanishing Act prepares for its performance at Northern Stage, Jeremy is keen to see the audience’s reaction. “Music has a way of connecting emotions, ideas, and characters that words alone can’t. I hope people will feel the joy, the urgency, and the wonder of this story – and maybe leave with a new appreciation for the amazing world of insects.” 

As a science teacher, it’s part of my job to ensure pupils understand the importance of collecting and analysing evidence to back up their investigations. Working scientifically together we collate information, calculate averages, plot graphs, and make valid conclusions. It’s all standard procedure. 

However, teaching about the climate emergency needs a slightly different approach. Simply discussing the facts with children and explaining the causes or consequences of the fossil fuel industry’s intention to burn every last drop of oil could easily instil a sense of serious foreboding. Adults have severely let children down. Yet, there is no room for doom in the classroom – none of this is the fault of young people. By developing a belief that they themselves can be changemakers and by giving them opportunities to take action, they can feel empowered to work together on a common cause and can send ripples into the wider community. 

A few years ago, I took part in climate protests, marching in the streets to demand politicians deliver change. After decades of climate predictions being increasingly backed up with hard evidence to little effect, I saw that members of Extinction Rebellion had captured public attention through song, dance, costume and drama. I used to talk about STEM subjects and careers, but this made me truly appreciate why we need to include the A for Art to make STEAM. Art is fundamentally part of being human and through it we can communicate more effectively. 

I began looking for a soft introduction to climate change for our Year 5s. There is still no mention of climate change in the primary curriculum, yet children overhear adults talking about it, see images in the media and on television, and understandably may develop feelings of sadness or anxiety as a result. There is a real need for pupils to appreciate that, although there are some exceptionally wicked problems in the world, their own actions can have a positive effect. 

As soon as I came across Cap-a-Pie’s incredible Climate Change Catastrophe! videos, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. My classes watched the series of videos over a few lessons, had plenty of time for discussion, and sang along with the songs. The pupils then made model wind turbines, talked about the solutions we already have, and used creative thinking to come up with ideas of their own. Above all, although the science in the videos is thoroughly robust, there was laughter and smiles in the room. 

Using drama, comedy, and theatre to teach children about climate change is effective because it makes complex and often alarming topics more engaging and accessible. These creative methods capture children’s attention and make learning memorable by combining education with entertainment. Drama and theatre allow children to empathise with different perspectives and scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of the issues. Comedy can alleviate the stress associated with climate change, making it easier for children to discuss and explore solutions. These teaching methods promote active participation, critical thinking, and a sense of agency in young learners. 

In addition, although my own music teacher once suggested I don’t have a musical bone in my body, I absolutely appreciate that music can make the learning process more enjoyable. It conveys messages in a fun and emotionally impactful way, helping children to connect with the subject. Songs with catchy lyrics and rhythms can simplify complex topics, making them easier to understand and recall. Integrating music into climate education enhances creativity, retention, and emotional engagement, making the subject more relatable and inspiring. A cross curricular approach to education for sustainability has incredible benefits, as it shares the teaching load across subjects and increases the impact for learners. 

The team at Cap-a-Pie has continued to amaze me with their creativity with The Vanishing Act, on the staggering decline in insect populations and Marvellous Microbes. They have a talent for making complex ideas tangible. As a scientist, I recognise that hard facts alone aren’t going to change the world for the better. We need the creativity of drama and music to create a sense of community and inspire collective action, motivating children to step up and be seen. Most of all it can help to bring joy into their lives on our rapidly changing planet. 

Dr Meryl Batchelder is the NE regional coordinator for the Ministry of Eco Education. After a PhD in environmental science, she gained 15 years of experience as a secondary science teacher before leaving the chalkface to focus on developing climate and sustainability initiatives in education. She is also a Climate Ambassador with STEM Learning. 

Cap-a-Pie is dedicated to enhancing students’ learning experiences through creative projects. Our goal is to bring arts and culture into schools, sparking creativity and helping students engage more in their learning. One great example of this partnership is with Carville Primary School, in Wallsend, North Tyneside. Here, school teacher Rebecca shares her experience and the positive impact these projects have had on both students and teachers.

Introduction

As a teacher at Carville Primary School, I had the pleasure of working with Cap-a-Pie, an organisation that brings arts and culture into education. This partnership enriched our students’ learning and helped my understanding of creative teaching.

My role and school context

I taught at Carville for seven years. I started as a newly qualified teacher in Year 5 and eventually led the subjects of history and geography. Our school in Wallsend served a diverse community of students. Many of them spoke English as an additional language and came from backgrounds where they might not have access to as many learning opportunities. The Cap-a-Pie projects were especially important for these students, offering them valuable experiences that they might not get elsewhere.

Collaborative projects

I first got involved with Cap-a-Pie in my second year of teaching when a colleague recommended a project for Year 5. I jumped at the chance to participate in the Thomas Baker Brown project, which fitted perfectly with our history lessons on the World Wars. It made history come alive for the students and let them connect with the subject in a hands-on way.  Other standout projects included a project on coal mining heritage which saw students perform in an outdoor theatre and Arcadia, where students stepped into an alternate reality and took on leadership roles. Watching them switch between characters and their own identities was a great learning experience for everyone.

Impact on students

The Cap-a-Pie projects made a real difference in how my students learned. These projects went beyond traditional lessons and helped students grow in ways you didn’t always see in the classroom. I especially saw students with additional needs or language barriers thrive in these creative settings. Their confidence grew, and so did their ability to express themselves. 

One of my favourite moments was during a soundscape activity in the Thomas Baker Brown project. The students created sounds that reflected the story they were learning. They didn’t just learn about history; they experienced it, immersing themselves in the sensory aspects of storytelling.

Benefits for teachers and schools

Working with Cap-a-Pie significantly enhanced my teaching practice. I developed my skills in drama and oracy, learning how to integrate these elements into my lessons. These skills helped me engage students more deeply. The partnership also strengthened our school’s community of teachers. We supported each other and shared what we learned, which helped everyone improve.

The impact of the collaboration went beyond my own classroom. It helped create a stronger sense of community across the school. Parents also became more involved, showing how much they appreciated these projects.

Future activity

As I moved on to new opportunities, I was excited about the future of Cap-a-Pie’s work at Carville. I hope the school will continue to build on this partnership. Creative projects like these were vital for our students’ development and learning.

Conclusion

My journey with Cap-a-Pie was transformative, both for my students and for me as a teacher. These collaborations were so important in education because they gave students rich experiences that boosted creativity, engagement, and personal growth. I would recommend partnerships like this to any teacher – the rewards are worth it.

We’ve got some exciting news to share! Thanks to generous support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Cap-a-Pie will be continuing to inspire and engage young people through our partnerships with schools. Paul Hamlyn Foundation funding will help us continue to reach over 800 young people each year.  

This three-year funding means a lot to us. It means we can expand our support for teachers in schools across Newcastle and North Tyneside. We will deliver innovative workshops, create new projects, and support teachers to implement our approaches independently. 

At Cap-a-Pie, we’re all about sparking creativity and curiosity in young minds. Our workshops explore important topics like environmental issues, local history, and cutting-edge science. But it’s not just about the subjects; we explore themes like community, belonging and equality, encouraging students to think critically about the world around them. 

Let us tell you about some of our exciting projects. Take Fizziwig the Pig, for example. It’s not your typical mystery-solving adventure; it gets children thinking about our relationship with nature in a whole new way. Then there’s Deltas, where we teach students about the physical and human geography of delta regions in places like India and Bangladesh. And in Coal Mining & Climate Change, students explore the history of coal mining in the North East, exploring technological advancements, addressing the current climate crisis, and contemplating solutions. In Animate Materials, students explore the future of materials chemistry, while in Brain Health, they learn about keeping their minds healthy and understanding dementia.  

We’ve seen first-hand how our workshops engage young people. Participants sharpen their critical thinking skills, deepen their learning, and become more confident. Whether it’s through discussions or hands-on activities, we want every student to have the chance to express themselves. 

And thanks to this funding, we can do even more. We’ll be working closely with schools to provide continuous professional development for teachers, ensuring that the impact of our work extends far beyond our workshops. 

Katy Vanden, Producer at Cap-a-Pie put it best: “We’re thrilled that the Paul Hamlyn Foundation is supporting our work with local schools. Engaging young people in creative activities that support their learning and development is crucial, and we see the impact every day. It’s all thanks to the generosity of the foundation that we can continue to make this difference.” 

But don’t just take our word for it. Matthew Hetherington, Deputy Headteacher at Christ Church CE Primary School said:  

“Cap-a-Pie provide an invaluable opportunity for our children. The strong foundation of dramatic enquiry allows children to immerse themselves in a project, bringing the learning alive for them in the classroom. This is especially great for those with more profound barriers to conventional learning, such as low confidence, speaking English as an additional language, or those with special educational needs; it is rewarding to see how much these children come out of themselves and the level of understanding they can achieve during a project.” 

So, here’s to creativity, curiosity, and making a real difference in the lives of young people. Together, with the support of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, we’re shaping a brighter future, one workshop at a time. 

In the quest for environmental sustainability, actions, both big and small, pave the way for a brighter, greener future. At the heart of our efforts lies a commitment to making a tangible difference. On this Earth Day, we’re reflecting on the work we do and also thinking ahead to how we can further contribute. Our mission is not merely to prioritise, but also to educate on the urgent need to safeguard our planet.

Here at Cap-a-Pie, we create shows and workshops with and for our community that are relevant, interesting and thought-provoking. At our core, we specialise in bringing people together for a shared creative journey. Through partnerships with schools, communities, educators, researchers, and scientists, we craft theatre experiences that spark curiosity about the world around us, with environmental sustainability being an important topic we cover.  Each year, during our consultations with young people, their concern for protecting the environment consistently emerges as the top thing they care about. As a result, we ensure their ideas are incorporated into our work.

In 2021 we began collaborating with the Living Deltas Research Hub to create a unique Deltas project exploring Asian mega-deltas and our connection to nature, including places like the Mekong and Ganges deltas – some of the most valuable and vulnerable parts of the world.  Through fun and creative activities, school pupils learn more about how we can protect them from climate change and human impact.

Reflecting on their experiences, one pupil put it simply, “If we don’t respect nature, there will be consequences for humans”. Another pointed out, “When we get water everyday it’s easy but for others it’s not.” And one teacher noticed a big change, “My students’ understanding of human geography overall has drastically increased and their curiosity is such that we seem to always be returning to conversations around sand mining, water and co-existing with wildlife amongst other things.”

Our award-winning Climate Change Catastrophe! filmed theatre show and education programme was created with young people and engineers from Newcastle University, and it was chosen to be shown at COP26 in 2021. Since then, the show has been seen by hundreds of children and adults across the North East. To coincide with Earth Day, we’re making the show available to watch on YouTube from Monday 22 April for a week. Find out more here.

Teachers can also access our Climate Change Catastrophe! resources, which include downloadable lesson plans featuring fun and creative activities tailored for Key Stage 2 learners. 

Young people who took part in the project valued the opportunity to share their thoughts on climate change with a wide audience. A student commented, “I think it’s very good that ‘Climate Change Catastrophe!’ is being shown at COP26, it’s a better chance of kids’ ideas getting out into the world.” Another said, “I feel very angry. It made me want to save the world.”

Our brand-new Marvellous Microbes workshop raises awareness of research into microbes, particularly how this is enabling environmental sustainability. But that’s not all. Our workshop will be entirely transportable by bike, as we plan to transport all necessary materials via this eco-friendly mode of transportation. This not only minimises our reliance on fossil fuels but also sets a precedent for future projects. Through careful evaluation and learning, we aim to refine our approach and inspire others to embrace sustainable practices.

One pivotal step we’re taking is the adoption of the Theatre Green Book across all our productions. The Theatre Green Book, an initiative led by the entire theatre community, aims to promote sustainable practices within the industry. Serving as our compass, is directs us towards eco-friendly practices that reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability.

Moreover, we’re focusing on local partnerships and venues accessible via cycling, walking, or public transport. By prioritising proximity and sustainable travel methods, we’re not only reducing emissions but also strengthening community ties.

Every action, no matter how small, contributes to the larger movement towards environmental stewardship. Together, let’s continue to champion sustainability and build a more resilient world for generations to come.

This month, we’re marking a significant milestone as our artistic director, Brad, reaches his 10-year anniversary with the charity. From captivating theatre-based workshops in primary schools, delving into topics like the English Civil War and chemistry, to directing thought-provoking productions like ‘Woven Bones’ and ‘Climate Change Catastrophe!’ for Cap-a-Pie, as well as Kitchen Zoo’s enthralling shows ‘The Three Bears’ and ‘Wolf’ at Northern Stage, Brad’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring.

To celebrate Brad’s 10-year anniversary, we’ve asked him to share 10 standout moments from the past decade. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and uncover the stories behind the scenes, where creativity met passion and community engagement thrived.

1. Performing Research was our flagship programme that encouraged researchers to think about using theatre as a way to engage the public and create impact. We engaged dozens of researchers over 4 years, many of whom we still work with today, and helped to establish us as a leader in creative industry and higher education partnerships.
2. The Town Meeting was my first production with Cap-a-Pie. A fully immersive and interactive show about town planning, I played Benjamin Rennold, a planner brought into help a small town make a big decision. It was made in collaboration with an academic who was conducting research as the show was happening. Benjamin’s approach sparked intense debate and discussion among the participants, highlighting the complexities of town planning decisions. 
3. For many years we worked with Barbara Priestman Academy, a secondary school in Sunderland for young people with Autism and access requirements for learning. In 2016, we produced a show What are they like? as part of the NT Connections programme and were selected to perform the show at the National Theatre. The young people were amazing, and it was a very special to be there.
4. The Important Man is another show we’re really proud of. Made during the centenary of the First World War, it focused on the massive rise of fortune telling and spiritualism at that time. It was incredibly fun to create and perform and was our first time working with our now frequent collaborator, Scottish writer and director Laura Lindow.
5. In so many ways the pandemic was an incredibly difficult time, but it did force us to change the way that we worked so we could still deliver projects to our participants. Remotely putting together an entire workshop series on the English Civil War including specially made films, audio clips and professionally designed slides and lesson plans was tricky, but we were incredibly proud of the result. Teachers delivered the workshops by themselves, to hundreds of Key Stage 2 students, and gave us great feedback on the quality of the resources, something we’ve tried to replicate in our work since then.
6. Climate Change Catastrophe! was a show that we’d wanted to make for some time as everyone here at Cap-a-Pie is interested in environmental sustainability. This was also primarily made during the pandemic – originally conceived as a live theatre show, we filmed it instead and now have a lasting resource that was shown at COP26 in Glasgow and is still being used by us in the classroom. 
7. The way we made Climate Change Catastrophe! was by asking young people to help us devise and direct the show with professional actors and designers bringing those ideas to life. This way of working means the young people have agency and understand that they’re being listened to. Their imaginations also really bring the show to life. We’ve continued this way of working in our latest show (coming soon) The Vanishing Act and will probably keep doing this.
8. Our work in schools has become the backbone of what we do. Having built up years of experience it means we’re working much more effectively than before, knowing how we can best get young people engaged in topics through drama, creativity and Philosophy 4 Children (an approach to teaching to help children learn by asking questions and exploring ideas). I still think about a workshop I did 10 years ago when I tried to get some Year 2 students to do a very complicated warm-up game – it very quickly fell flat and I’m now much more in tune with what different year groups can access.
9. We really treasure the relationships we have with our local schools, some of which we’ve been working with for many years. They give us honest feedback about what we do, support our organisational development and champion our work to others. We wouldn’t be where we are now without them.
10. As well as using theatre in what we do, philosophy is a big part of the work. It allows children to develop their speaking and listening skills, and we’re always delighted by their powers of reasoning. In a recent workshop which deals with our relationship to nature, there’s an exercise called ‘good farm/bad farm’ where students are shown possible farms (such as a T-Rex farm or a Magic Wand farm) and they have to say whether it would be ‘good’ or ‘bad’. In the first option, a cow farm, one student felt it would be a bad farm “because cows don’t listen”. It’s hard to argue with that.