Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
What do you do?
Openbox use role-play, drama, movement, puppets, music and improvisation to bring topics to life; encouraging children to have fun as they learn and experience the thrill of live theatre for themselves.
How far do you travel?
We visit schools within a 60 mile radius of our office in Liss Forest, Hampshire. Please call to check if you are unsure.
How much does a workshop or show cost?
We do not set prices per show or workshop but charge a half or full day rate depending on the amount of time we need. This is dependent on a number of factors: the number of children taking part, what you'd like (some workshops are longer than others) and your school timetable.
A performance of one of our shows requires a half day rate; if you'd like two performances of the same show in one day then we will be able to offer you a special price!
Contact us and we can talk through your individual requirements and structure a visit to ensure you get real value for money.
What age range do you cover?
From Nursery through to Year 6 with content suitably adapted where necessary. Specific key stage information is displayed on each workshop page. Our shows are suitable for all ages!
Do you use props and costumes?
In our workshops, very selectively and only where appropriate. We prefer to encourage and inspire the children to use their imaginations at all times.
Our shows, however, have multiple costumes, props and sets only limited by what we can squeeze into our van!
How long is a workshop?
Roughly an hour (sometimes longer) with some subjects requiring additional time for an introduction and/or plenary.
How many children can take part?
Up to a maximum of 35 children can participate in a workshop session at a time. A year group of 90 children would be split into 3 workshop sessions of 30 children over the space of a day. Year groups of 60 would split into 2 workshop sessions requiring a half day.
How many workshops can you run in a day?
We can run up to 4 workshops sessions in a day.
Do they all have to be the same topic or can we mix and match?
We can run one topic throughout the day or a mixture of topics – it all depends on the number of children taking part, your chosen subjects and your timetable. Many schools create a History or Geography day for a year group or the whole school choosing all sorts of workshop combinations. Put together your ideal combination and we’ll can discuss what’s possible.
What do the children need to know before a visit?
Our visits complement classroom teaching so we can kick start a topic, build on current learning or consolidate at the end of a project.
Which workshops are available this term?
How long does a show last?
All shows run for approximately an hour without an interval.
Are your shows age specific?
All our shows are suitable for Nursery, KS1 and KS2 (and teaching staff!)
How many children can watch at a time?
As many children as you can fit in your hall comfortably, leaving us a 12’ performance space.
Do you use lights or loud amplification?
No. We don’t want to scare the children!
Which shows are available this term?
All shows listed are available throughout the academic year. From time to time, we ‘rest’ a show and remove it from our Programme but usually because we are developing something new!
Is a classroom alright to work in?
We need a large space to allow children to take an active part - a school hall is perfect. We often work in halls that need to be used for lunchtime and can modify our timetable to accommodate this. If the hall is unavailable, please check with us to discuss possible alternatives.
What equipment do you need?
We bring a laptop, screen and sound system. If a projector and screen are already in place in your hall then we will use your equipment to reduce set up time.
P.S. A cup of tea is always welcome!
How do we pay you?
We accept payment via BACS and cheque. All payment details will be on the invoice provided. If we need to quote a purchase order on our invoice or send it for processing somewhere other than the school office, please advise.
When do we pay you?
Payment is due on or before the date of our visit. Exceptions are permitted where local councils require a school to goods receipt on the day of our visit and payment is received directly from them afterwards.
If payment is to be made by a council then it is the school’s responsibility to raise a purchase order at the time of booking and to inform us of the details.
Receipt of late payments may incur additional charges.
An invoice will be sent to your school with full payment details approximately a month before the date of our visit (immediately if booking is within a month) or, if advised, we will invoice authority or parent association directly.
Are you VAT registered?
We are not VAT registered.
What if I need to cancel a booking?
Over three months prior to the booking – no fee will be charged.
Within 30 days and three months prior to the booking – 10% of the fee will apply.
Within 14 and 30 days prior to the booking - 50% of the fee will apply.
Any cancellations made within 14 days of the booking, the full amount will be charged.
If for any unforeseen reason The Openbox Theatre Company is forced to cancel a booking, alternative dates will be offered OR a full refund of any monies paid will be given.
Are you DBS checked?
All the Openbox team have current DBS certification. We send copies to all new schools/organisations we visit to keep on file so that this documentation is easily to hand. If any further security clearance is required, just let us know.
Do you have insurance?
The Openbox Theatre Company is the trading name for Trosk Productions Ltd, with £10 million public liability insurance for all our activities
What happens if no staff are available to supervise?
As part of our child protection policy, we ask you to ensure that a teacher and/or member of school staff are always in attendance whilst we are working with your children. Staff are welcome to participate or use the opportunity to observe the children.
Website disclaimer
Occasionally the odd error does creep through the net. Please get in contact if you notice a bug.
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The content of this site is provided for informational use only and Trosk Productions Limited does not assume responsibility for inaccuracies or errors.
We only collect the e-mail addresses of visitors who communicate with us via e-mail, (non-personal) information volunteered by the visitor, such as information submitted via our contact forms. The information we collect is used to improve the content of our website, to notify visitors about updates to our Website and to notify visitors about new services and/or events. This information is not shared with other organisations for commercial purposes.
The small print
The Openbox Theatre Company is the trading name for Trosk Productions Ltd..
Registered in the UK, company number 6517059.
Registered address: 39 Rotherbank Farm Lane, Liss Forest, Hampshire GU33 7BJ.