After a brilliant first run this May half term, Wizard Presents have extended the availability of their Secret Garden Experience into this summer, before launching their schools experience in the autumn term.
Following the storyline of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, The Secret Garden Experience starts when a ‘Secret Box’ arrives in the post. Each box contains eight envelopes with eight unique audio episodes and accompanying activities, but it is totally up to you how you enjoy it – both who you enjoy it with (on your own, with family, friends, in person or online), and how often you open a new envelope (daily, every other day, weekly, whatever works for you), and even where (at home, on holiday, in a park or garden). This is your special experience for you to enjoy however you like.
Activities include games, crafts, augmented reality, digital content, things to do indoors, things to do outdoors. Serialised audio episodes of the story guide the journey, with soundscape and original music composed by Arun Ghosh, immersing audiences in the well-loved story of 10 year old Mary Lennox leaving India and coming to the UK to live with her uncle on the Yorkshire moors. It all begins when you find the first secret key…
Additionally 2 lucky families will find an extra golden key in their box, to receive an extra prize – either family tickets to the panto at Watford Palace Theatre, or a hamper of Secret Garden goodies.
The Secret Garden Experience for Schools. suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2, is available to order for Autumn term 2021. Accompanying the audio episodes, special online content and a Secret Box created specifically for a schools environment, is an education resource pack (created by teaching consultant Mo Serby and Associate Director at Watford Palace Theatre, James Williams-) The pack contains everything needed to plan 8 lessons or more and activities can be adapted to suit indoor or outdoor teaching, suit a variety of class sizes up to 30.
Artistic director Danyah Miller said, “We’re thrilled that the project has been so well-received and that audiences of all ages are rediscovering the joys of this hugely relevant story. We’re delighted that we’re now able to offer it to schools to compliment the Key stage 1 and 2 curriculum.”
