Jude Starbeam Project

The Jude Starbeam Project has two strands: an interactive workshop and a play. The workshop will be led by theatre company On the Button along with embedded scientists. Children at 25 primary schools will be cast in the role of researchers working at the international space agency. They will help rescue Jude Starbeam – an astronaut who has a brain injury after their spaceship crashed. They will be encouraged to think about the effects of the injury while designing a spaceship that will help Jude get home. Deanna Rodger’s play is about a brother and sister who are pretending to be space explorers. Being lost in space is used as a metaphor which invites the audience to engage with themes of injury and recovery. 

Our aim is to help children aged 7-11 to understand how research at the Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre can help children with brain injuries. It will also allow our researchers to find an innovative way of engaging young people in their work.