Figment Theatre

Archive Projects - Primary Education

'I Dare You' KS2 Rail Safety

Originally commissioned by Railtrack, the then operators of the rail network, and supported by British Transport Police, live theatre was seen at the time as a new departure for the industry in its campaign to combat railway crime and ‘I Dare You’ was only intended to run for one short tour. The initial response was so successful that it has since continued to tour nationally up to three times a year ever since and has been performed over 300 times to over 250,000 pupils in 71 different theatres throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

The performance highlights the range of consequences, physical and emotional, of trespassing on the railway. It is a chance to witness the tragedy which can be caused by escalating peer pressure.

In 1997, 'I Dare You' was taken to the Edinburgh Fringe and performed in the Pleasance Theatre, where it received 3*** ratings and was described as "riveting" and "accessible without being dictatorial."

Target group	Year 5 & 6 pupils (max 45)
Format	55 minute performance in Theatre venues Teachers’ resource pack
Benefits	The rail industry has worked closely with Figment Theatre Company to produce I Dare You, a hard-hitting and thought-provoking drama aimed at making young people think about the consequences of playing on or near the railway.
To date the 'I Dare You' message has been received by more than 250,000 children across mainland Britain. The play's undoubted power is in its ability to tease youngsters into the drama in an engaging and often funny way before reducing them to shocked silence as they take in the horror of the anti-trespass message. Not once has a Figment performance of the play failed to achieve this effect. It is this that time and time again has made us acutely aware of the power of drama as an educational medium.” Sue Nelson, Rail Industry Community Safety Support Unit on behalf of the Partners Against Railway Crime.

External Links: www.networkrail.co.uk
External Links: www.networkrail.co.uk