What is living history?
Living history is a modern interpretation of the past from the archaeological and written evidence which has survived. It can never be an exact and 100% true interpretation of the past as there are many things that we don't know, either because they've never been written down or the evidence just does not exist. However, with this in mind, it is still a wonderful way to help teach history. This modern computer literate society is always looking for new and exciting ways to learn and the internet has proved to be a wonderful tool for doing this. Living history though, offers people a chance to really get involved and hands on with the history and to at least come away with an impression and feeling for what life was like in the past and how it compares to the life they live now. So that they can see how many things are the same and how many have changed. It's all very well to read about what life was like but there is no better way to learn about history than to touch and discover it for yourself
Our displays are as authentic as we can make them, though we do have a few concessions to safety and practicality within our displays, for example very realistic fake food is used in our school displays to negate any worries about health and safety and because it's more practical. All the displays particularly for schools are designed with the idea of creating a fun and memorable experience for those taking part and these concessions to safety and practicality are little noticed within the display.
How do I book you?
Just give us a call or Click Here to contact us. You can even write to us!
Are you insured?
Yes, aardvark productions are fully insured for up to £5,000000, but we take the utmost care to ensure that our displays and talks whilst being fun are completely safe. A certificate of insurance and risk assessments are provided upon request.
What does my venue need to do to prepare for a historical day?
Very little! We just need suitable rooms to work [in a school, classrooms are usually fine, but some displays are better in the main hall or other larger area. In historic houses, the publicly available rooms are usually perfect] We can also work outside if weather permits] We bring all the props and costumes required for our workshops
Do you have CRB disclosures?
As performers, we are legally exempt from CRB checks, but for your peace of mind our performers are all police or CRB checked. We also go to great lengths to ensure that we are never alone with a child or vulnerable person
What areas do you cover?
We cover the whole of the UK, although there are travel charges to some areas - please enquire on booking
For a workshop, what is the maximum number of children per session?
The maximum number per workshop is 30 to ensure the displays are as hands on as possible.
How much space do you need?
This depends on whether you're hiring us for a school or historic site display. Please ask for details.
How much do you cost?
The price is dependent on what you are hiring us for, how far we have to travel and whether you'd like to book us for more than one event
Can we video and photograph you during the display?
We don't mind photographs being taken [except where they are not permitted by the venue] but we do not allow videoing of our displays by schools or historic sites. This includes using phones to video us
I'd like to bring the local press in to take some photos and write an article about the day, is this ok?
Yes certainly, they may take photos for an article and include details about the day as long as they do not disrupt the display too much. Please mention our company name to the paper. We are also happy to take part in press, radio or TV interviews in advance to publicise an event
What happens if I cancel a display once I have signed and returned a contract?
Please note that we charge a cancellation fee if you cancel a booking after signing our contract. The details are clearly displayed on our contract and available in advance if required. This is because we may have had to turn away other work for the date you have booked and we may not be able to refill the date at such short notice.
How far in advance can I book you?
It depends what time of year you are booking us for. Some times of the year are quieter than others, but we do have a large professional team and can cover most dates.
Obviously, the more notice we have, the better, but we aim to be able to accommodate events with as little as three weeks notice. Any less than that, and we'll certainly see what we can do.http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/programmes/schedules