Primary schools (pupils aged between 6 and 10)
The study of English is now compulsory in German primary-schools, and White Horse Theatre offers plays for pupils at two different levels, geared to the precise linguistic content of the curriculum. The plays for the first and second school-years allow the pupils to practice the vocabulary that they encounter at this age - numbers up to ten, colours, body parts, articles of clothing, etc. The plays for the third and fourth year extend to simple feelings and actions, and involve themes that are covered in the current text-books. At both levels, the plays are highly visual, with stories that engage and involve the audience.
Elementary level (pupils aged between 10 and 13 years)
The plays for the elementary level are written in extremely simple English. Themes include space travel, pirates, parent/child relations, detective stories, traditional folk-tales, and pop music. The performance style is highly visual and the directors make use of audience participation in order to maximise the entertainment value of the plays. Even pupils with a limited grasp of the English language can follow the performances.
Intermediate pupils (pupils aged between 13 and 16 years)
The company's plays for immediate pupils are specially written for teenage audiences, in simple language and with content that will appeal to teenagers. Themes covered in the plays include racism, teenage love, youth crime, bullying in school, eating disorders and drug abuse. These themes are presented with a mixture of comedy, emotional commitment and visual action that makes them accessible to all pupils, despite the language barrier.
Advanced pupils (pupils aged between 17 and 20, and adult audiences)
White Horse Theatre's repertoire for advanced students includes shortened versions of seven Shakespeare plays - the original language is retained, but the stories have been simplified and abridged so that the duration of a performance is generally between 70 and 90 minutes. The repertoire also provides dramatizations of famous English novels, British and American plays from the 20th century, and contemporary British plays.