Backstage World Family Workshop

Theatre Royal is opening its doors to a younger crowd on Thursday 27 August with the Backstage World Family Workshop, a session for 8 to 14-year-olds to get a look at how a professional theatre actually works. Most of us only ever see the stage from the stalls, but this is about everything that happens behind the scenes.

The workshop focuses on three main areas: lighting, sound, and the backstage systems that keep a show running. It's a hands-on way to see how the lights are rigged and cued, how the sound is mixed, and how the machinery of a big house like this one moves in the background. If you've got a kid who's always asking how the scenery changes or where the sound comes from, this is exactly that.

It's also worth keeping in mind where this is happening. Theatre Royal has been entertaining Brighton audiences for over 218 years and is a Grade II* listed building, making it one of the oldest theatres in the country. It's a working venue that still puts on pre- and post-West End shows, so the systems the workshop looks at are the same ones used for professional productions. That gives the whole thing a bit more weight than a classroom demo.

The session runs on Thursday 27 August at Theatre Royal in Brighton, aimed at 8 to 14-year-olds. You can find more details on the venue's what's on page.