SEESAW

VISUAL STORY This visual resource is for children and young adults visiting the

Unicorn Theatre to see a performance of Seesaw.

This visual story is intended to help prepare you for a new experience

and help you to become familiar with the surroundings and the

performance.

This performance has moments of high energy and contains scenes

with storm sequences. These sequences are not sustained.

The performance has themes of play, discovery, loneliness and new

relationships. We have made the usual amendments to the volume

and lighting levels but due to the nature of the show you will

experience moments of sound and lighting effects.

Welcome to the Unicorn Theatre. We are a theatre for children and

adults. This is what the building looks like from the outside.

This is the main entrance of the theatre. There are some steps before

you get to the front door. The words and pictures on the windows tell

you what shows and activities are happening inside.

When you enter through the front door, you will see a big space with

lots of tables and chairs in an area called the Foyer.

There are also some instructions on the floor tiles, you can choose to

follow these instructions or you can ignore them.

The Box Office is also in the Foyer. This is where you can buy tickets or

collect tickets that you have already paid for. There may be other

adults and children waiting to buy or collect tickets when you arrive.

You will be met by one of the Ushers, who will be wearing a dark red

shirt with white writing like the one above.

You can ask an usher if you have any questions and they will do their

best to help you. When it’s time for Seesaw to start, you will hear a

bell and an Usher will tell you where you need to go.

You might see some adults and children sitting at some of the tables

having something to eat or drink from our Unicornershop.

There is a cafe in the Foyer called the Unicornershop where you can

buy drinks and snacks. You can also bring your own drinks and snacks

with you.

If you need to use the Toilet, they are downstairs from the Foyer.

Look for the stairs going down or you can use the Lift.

These are the boys’ toilets.

These are the girls’ toilets.

When you enter the Clore Theatre you will see a small room with

black walls, the middle of the room is a giant sandpit filled with sand.

There are leaves in the sandpit and a big wooden seesaw. There is a

big white cloth at the back of the room held up by two wooden poles;

there is also a stick in the sand next to a bin.

When you are finding your seat a girl is playing around the edge of the

sandpit with her toy rabbit.

Your seats are purple benches and you can choose your seat. There

are three sides you can choose from.

Choose your seat and make yourself comfortable.

Sound:

When you enter you will hear sound of music. You will hear

background sound and music like this throughout the performance.

There a moments of louder sound effects; thunder, lightning,

birdsong and rain.

Lighting:

The room will be well lit.

It looks like an autumn day. The lighting will change to match the

seasons.

The white screen at the back of the room will flash during the storm

scene.

There is also a little bit of haze on the stage, it looks like smoke but it

doesn’t make you cough.

Please speak to a member of staff if you have any concerns.

The Characters:

Girl

Girl likes to play with her toy rabbit called Hairy.

Girl likes to dig in the sand and balance on the sandpit. Girl sometimes

shouts.

Girl is sometimes a bit sad and lonely when Hairy goes missing but she

is trying to make a new friend.

Girl is wearing brightly coloured clothes and a hard hat.

Boy

Boy loves rockets; he likes counting down and making the blast off

noises.

Boy wants to play with Girl and Hairy the toy rabbit.

Boy rushes in and out of the sandpit to use the toilet because he

always has a carton of juice. Boy wants to be friends with Girl.

Boy wears a big warm coat and a bobble hat.

When the show is ready to begin the Girl will be writing in the sand

with the stick.

When everyone is ready the lights above your seats will get a little bit

darker and the music will get a little bit louder.

Girl is talking to her toy rabbit Hairy about her drawing. You will hear

birds in the background.

The sandpit is in a park.

Boy will enter the room shouting ‘bye’. He might be saying it to other

friends or his family.

He has a juice box and joins Girl in the sandpit.

Boy drops his juice carton on the floor but he knows this is naughty so

he picks it up and puts it in the bin.

Boy plays on the seesaw and pretends he is in a rocket. Can you

countdown with Boy?

You will sometimes see leaves drop onto the sand.

Boy likes the leaves and sings a song.

They both like to throw them in the air and watch them fall.

Sometimes the Girl and Boy argue about who can hold the stick. They

push each other and sometimes shout but they don’t hurt each other.

Girl is sad that Hairy is missing and Boy wants to help.

Girl pretends her hand is stuck in the sand but this is just a game and

she laughs.

When Girl is looking for Hairy she sometimes throws sand around and

digs deep in the sand.

Boy tastes the sand and then spits it out. Yuck!

Girl and Boy play together in the sand.

They are becoming friends and they work together to ‘Pat it flat’.

When they are playing Boy accidentally throws sand all over Girl.

Girl is upset but Boy is sorry and he blows the sand off her face and

hugs her.

They are still friends.

Boy offers to share his juice carton.

Girl drinks a bit too much and finishes the juice. Boy is not very happy.

Girl and Boy play a hopping game together and move around the

sandpit jumping and shouting.

Boy and Girl try to make the seesaw work.

They are trying to work together.

Girl falls off the seesaw but she is okay.

Girl and Boy make the seesaw work and they have fun.

Girl and Boy pretend to be a countdown and rocket.

When Boy is in the toilet Girl is naughty and finishes his drink. Girl

hides the carton in the bin. Boy is upset that his drink is finished and

they argue over the stick again. Boy throws the stick in the bin.

Boy has an extra juice carton for Girl. He is trying to share and be

friends.

Girl is naughty and throws her carton on the floor. Boy tries to help

Girl be tidy but Girl gets upset and they shout. Girl calls Boy a ‘horrible

person’. Girl is just upset she says sorry straight away…then, she finds

Hairy the toy rabbit again in the sand.

When Girl and Boy are upset you will hear some rumble noises for

thunder and see some flashes for lightening. Don’t worry, it doesn’t

last very long. The sand pit will be empty.

When Girl comes back she is alone and looks a bit sad.

Maybe she misses her friend Boy.

When Boy comes back they share Hairy the toy rabbit, they share the

juice carton and they play together on the seesaw.

They are friends again.

Join in the countdown with them if you like.

This is the end of the show.

The stage will get much darker and Girl and Bow will bow so you can

clap if you want to.

Would you like to touch the sand?

The usher will add steps to the sand pit so you can safely climb up.

You can sit on the sand, touch the leaves and say hello to Girl and Boy

if you want to.

You can stay in your seat and watch if you prefer.

During the show you might find something funny, you can laugh if you

like.

During the show you might see or hear something that makes you feel

sad. You can feel sad if you like, that’s okay.

You might hear other people in the audience cheer, clap, shout out or

scream. You can join in if you like.

During the show you might feel that you need to take some time out.

This is fine, find the Access Assistant and let them know. They will be

sat on the end of the seats, by the door.

The Access Assistant will take you to the chill out space where you can

relax and return to the show when you feel ready.

The actors use the door and area that lead to the foyer so the Access

Assistant may need to wait for a safe moment to leave the space and

a safe moment for you to return.

Thank you for visiting Unicorn Theatre and watching Seesaw.

Have a lovely day!