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Nigel Barrett in an R&D with our Creative Associates Credit: Photography by Nina Photography 2026

Pocket Money: New Interactive theatre experience designed to help children navigate money in the digital age

This autumn the Unicorn Theatre welcomes Pocket Money to its stage, a world premiere exploring financial literacy for children aged 7–11. Featuring big ideas, an interactive voting system and a live DJ set, Pocket Money will empower children to think critically about money, their choices and their future.

Created by experimental theatre-makers Nigel Barrett & Louise Mari, the show has been developed in consultation with the Unicorn’s Creative Associates - a group of young people who have helped inform the creative process to bring the show to life.

“Pocket Money is a show that turns the spotlight onto young people and asks them to consider their own relationship with money and the role that it plays in all of our lives. We have been working with some amazing young people and schools from the local area and have been on an incredible journey of exploration together, helping us to understand what is important to them when we talk about money, the economy and the financial world they will grow up into. The Unicorn is the perfect space for a show with interactivity at its heart and we cannot wait to meet our young audiences.” Nigel Barrett & Louise Mari

To make this show financially accessible for as many young people as possible, school tickets will start at £3 each. These subsidised tickets can be accessed by non-fee paying schools across all previews and 2.15pm performances.

Key Stage 2 Curriculum Links covered in production:

  • Robust cross curricular offers for Literacy and Mathematics.
  • Mathematics – Financial Fluency (Problem solving), mastery of numbers.
  • Literacy – Affecting audience, making choices/oracy.
  • PSHE – Living in the wider world: Economic wellbeing.

All educators booking to see Pocket Money will receive a bespoke educational resource, developed by a theatre-maker in collaboration with children and a leading financial education specialist. The resource includes lesson plans to support the conversation in the classroom, focusing on PSHE workshop series under ‘Living in the Wider World’.

Pocket Money will have several accessible performances, as the Unicorn continues its commitment to making theatre accessible to all. Find out more below:

  • Friday 16th October, 11am – Sensory Adapted Performance
  • Wednesday 21st October, 11am – BSL Interpreted Performance
  • Friday 23rd October, 11am – Audio Described Performance

For schools who would like more information on accessibility at the Unicorn, get in touch with schools@unicorntheatre.com.

Pocket Money will be at the Unicorn from Saturday 26th September until Sunday 1st November. Designed for children in Years 3–6, the production uses an electronic voting system that enables audiences to actively participate in the performance through a fun and playful interactive experience.

This production is Green Book Baseline.

Photos from the Pocket Money R&D

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