Pupils at seven Newham primary schools are being enthralled this week by an educational knife-crime show from theatre company The Comedy School.
The play – called “It’s No Joke!” – uses humour to deliver a serious message about the consequences of knife-carrying and resultant violent crime.
The show, which manages to be moving, funny and informative, is being performed across Newham this week (13-17 December), with shows at Ranelagh, Kaizen, Hartley, Cleves, Kier Hardy, St. Luke’s and Ravenscroft primary schools, reaching more than 400 pupils.
Councillor Carleene Lee-Phakoe, Newham’s Brighter Futures Cabinet Member, said: “Knife crime devastates families and, by teaching the next generation about the consequences early on, we can truly make a difference.
“The ‘It’s No Joke’ play helps deliver this message in a humorous and engaging way and will help us educate Newham’s young people on the dangers and consequences of carrying knives.”
After the performance at Kaizen Primary School, Headteacher Barb Sims said: “When Newham Council made the offer to borough primary schools, I thought this is a really good opportunity to talk about this subject.
“At the end, a boy who has older brothers involved in gangs came up to me and said, ‘Miss, it was brilliant! Can we get this theatre company to come back again? I learnt a lot from listening to the story’.”
Comedy School founder Keith Palmer said: “If you’re laughing, you’re listening and, if you’re listening, that’s when the education process can start.”
The 60-strong audience of Year 6 students at Kaizen Primary was enthralled by the Comedy School’s show in which actors Alphonso Brown, Adam Lay and Olivia Lee played a series of entertaining characters and captivating scenes depicting gang culture, knife crime and policing – with a light touch and a serious message – followed by a mini-quiz and a question and answer session with the children in the audience.
Alphonso played Rufus, a character who ends up being stabbed to death with his own knife in a tragic accident, telling the audience: “My death obviously affects me, but also my mum, my brother, other family members and my friends.”
Alphonso said their audiences had included children whose older brothers and cousins had been seriously affected by knife crime.
Comedy School Stage Manager Mark Higgins said the company had toured the show in London schools for the past 15 years. “It always gets a very positive reaction,” he added. “We talk to people about the dangers and consequences of carrying knives.”