PIP School Workshops
Calling all secondary-school English, Drama and Language teachers!
Are you looking for ways to introduce diversity and internationalism into English, Drama or Language classes? Are your students eager to explore global stories that resonate here and now?
Our award-winning School Workshops foster engagement with other cultures, respect for different languages, and curiosity towards international stories.
Performing International Plays has partnered up with Foreign Affairs theatre company to deliver in-school enrichment workshops using international plays in translation to learn about different cultures and explore local stories from around the world that matter here and now.
We aim to make every pupil feel represented through drama, and for this very mission we have been recognised by the Music and Drama Education Awards 2025 as the ‘Outstanding Drama Initiative’.
Your students will encounter one or more new plays by exciting contemporary dramatists from Ukraine, Palestine, Cuba, Taiwan, South Africa, Egypt, Italy, Germany, France and more. There will be hands-on devising, linguistic mediation, fun games and performance. No prior foreign language knowledge required.
Our workshops are facilitated by highly skilled multilingual practitioners of relevant heritage and are especially tailored to your students and your needs.
Our team can travel to most places in England and Wales. Read our testimonials below!
To discuss your ideas, get in touch with the project lead, Dr Margherita Laera, at: piponlineresource@gmail.com
Workshop Options
2-hour, 3-hour, 1-day, and week-long residency options available
All levels, from Y7 to Y13, and mixed-ability groups
1. International Play Workshop in English:
For classes inspired by stories and characters from outside the English-speaking world, but translated into English for maximum accessibility. A practical blend of drama exercises, devising and discussion based on an international play chosen by the pupils. No foreign language skills required.
2. International Play Workshop with Modern Foreign Languages:
Ideal for mixed-ability groups across subjects with an interest in language learning. Students practise cultural and spoken language skills while exploring characters in historical and cultural contexts near and far. Based on a play selected by the group. Any language level is welcome.
3. Theatre Translation Workshop:
For classes studying Arabic, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, or mixed groups including EAL learners with some command of the source language. Students creatively translate or adapt extracts, either from an international play into English or from an English-language play into another language. Performances in foreign languages are also an option.
4. Foreign Language Play Workshop:
For Language students who want to put on a play in a foreign language with some extra help from native-language theatre-makers. Language skills required.
Learning Outcomes. Our workshops help students acquire the following skills:
Creativity and imagination
Communication & public speaking
Teamwork and problem-solving
Literacy and expressive confidence
Intercultural competencies and global cultural capital
Engagement with social issues
Resilience, curiosity and self-esteem
Foreign language skills (where relevant)
We are open for new bookings. Get in touch to discuss your ideas!
piponlineresource@gmail.com
Testimonials
“Performing International Plays has been a wonderful resource for our students to explore new diverse texts. Students have been really inspired to watch and perform scripts from their own cultural heritage and languages. We were delighted to welcome PIP to our school recently as part of our artist-in-residence week. GCSE students had the opportunity to workshop ideas around the themes of A Fable for Now by Wei Yu-Chia and create their own self devised pieces. This is fantastic resource that supports busy teachers to experience new diverse scripts. Thank you PIP team!”
– Holly Whymark, Head of Drama, St. Albans High School for Girls
“The best thing was seeing some students coming out of their shells, gaining confidence they didn’t know they had”
– Teacher, Canterbury
“I noticed students from racially minoritised groups taking the lead in discussions”
– English teacher, London
“These workshops have made a massive contribution to the pupils’ overall engagement, confidence and attainment”
– Drama teacher, London
“I liked everything the diversity the freedom of everyone, ideas in just one small room made me feel amazing”
– Workshop participant
“I enjoyed seeing people speak their own languages and this being incorporated into drama”
– Workshop participant
“I loved the idea of learning about different cultures and languages”
– Workshop participant
“The staff made us want to learn more about our cultures and respect people for who they are”
– Workshop participant
“I got to become more confident and the helpers were very inclusive and made sure everyone was comfortable and involved, they helped us learn about the plays in a very interesting and creative way”
– Workshop participant
“My favourite thing was making me be myself and letting me speak my mind and it was very interesting”
– Workshop participant
“I was going to drop out of GCSE Drama, but because of this workshop, I won’t”
– Workshop participant
ABOUT OUR TEAM
Foreign Affairs is an award-winning independent theatre company with an adventurous spirit, run by the creative duo Camila França and Trine Garrett. Their work focuses on theatre in translation, intercultural exchange and collaboration, and performance in unconventional spaces. Or, in other words – they bring theatre from around the world to local communities. Foreign Affairs also run workshops and training programmes for emerging theatre-makers and translators, and local young people, including the Theatre Translator Mentorship (unique in the industry) and Emerging Theatre-Makers activities. Winner of The Stage International Award 2026.
PIP school workshop at The Archbishop’s School, Canterbury, in Summer 2024, based on the Ukrainian play, Rubbish: Straw, Balloon and Shoe by Kateryna Penkova, translated by the students.