Crystal's Vardo
Crystal’s Vardo is a celebrated play about Gypsy and Traveller history and culture and is on tour this month as part of ‘Gypsy and Traveller History Month’. There will be 12 performances in locations including South Gloucestershire, Kensington and Chelsea, Nottinghamshire, Liverpool, Pembroke and Cardiff.
Crystal’s Vardo is an educational play aimed at young people, which explores the rich history and culture of Gypsies and Travellers and brings Gypsy and Traveller communities to life in a colourful and informative way. The lead role, ‘Crystal’, is played by a girl with Irish Traveller heritage.
Baroness Whitaker says of the play – “To hear children after they have seen the play talking about what they have learned, and how that challenges what they have previously been told, is so interesting and hopeful.”
The play was written by Suzanna King of Friends, Families and Travellers as a way of providing schools with a positive tool to tackle discrimination against Gypsies and Travellers. Crystal’s Vardo helps address some of the problems of racist bullying in schools and helps raise awareness of Gypsies and Travellers among the wider community.
Suzanna King, Director of Crystal’s Vardo says “the aim of Crystal’s Vardo is to open the hearts and minds to a culture that is at best ignored and at worst condemned by many. I want the play to celebrate all the wonderful aspects of Gypsy and Traveller life so that the young people of these communities can have confidence in their identity.”
Crystal’s Vardo is in its 4th year, it has been a huge success with repeat bookings. At the end of the 2015 June tour it will have reached an audience of 6000.