'Johnny Spacehopper and his Vital Statistics' is Quantum Theatre's latest show on numeracy and its tour resumes this Autumn Term 2007.

Based on the mathematics curriculum for Primary Schools the play explores a variety of methods of mental calculation through handling and manipulating data, looks at probability scales and the mean, the mode and the median.

it's about 1 hour 50 minutes long including an interval and involves a fair bit of audience participation. Teachers' Notes that include a pupil worksheet are provided to all visiting schools but you can also access them online - see below.

On the planet Calculus, Johnny Spacehopper yearns to be a Supreme Guardian of the Friendly Federation, but his lack of mathematical knowledge is holding him back. However, when the all important book of knowledge containing vital data on every planet in the universe is stolen, Johnny seizes his chance to do a stupidly courageous and reckless act to try and bring it back.

Crash-landing on Earth, Johnny and his reluctant robot companion Abacus encounter the earthling Kelly and together they embark on a series of data handling adventures to fix his spacecraft and get him back to Calculus. Unfortunately the evil Daft Apeth from the planet Venn has other ideas and sends two of his henchmen, Zilch and Minus, to grab the book. There ensues a desperate chase where Johnny is captured, the book seized and all seems lost.

But all is not lost, for Kelly's boyfriend Neil has been secretly building a spacecraft of his very own and with Kelly and Abacus in tow he flies to Venn to rescue Johnny. Once there however, it looks like they're too late for Daft Apeth, using the book of knowledge, has already fired his missiles at Earth. But with Johnny's new-found knowledge of data management the missile is stopped, Daft Apeth defeated and Johnny finally takes his place on the Supreme Council of the Friendly Federation.

Teachers' Notes printer-friendly version - .pdf

 

28th September Chesham - The Elgiva. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01494 582900 (10am-3pm).

1st October Bournemouth - The BIC. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 0870 111 3000.

2nd October Croydon - Ashcroft Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 0208 688 9291.

3rd October Grays, Essex - Thameside Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01582 767 525.

4th October Folkestone - Leas Cliff Hall. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01303 228 600.

5th October Southend-on-Sea - Palace Theatre, Cliffs Pavillion. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01702 351 135.

9th October Hayes, Middlesex - Beck Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 0208 561 8371.

10th October Canterbury - Marlowe Theatre. 10.30am & 1.30pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01227 787 787.

11th October Yeovil - Octagon Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £7- buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01935 422 884.

12th October Salisbury - Salisbury Playhouse- Studio. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £5. Box Office: 01722 320 333.

15th October Tamworth - The Assembly Rooms. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01827 709 618.

16th October Basingstoke - The Anvil. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01256 844 244.

18th October Middlesbrough - Middlesbrough Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01642 815 181.

19th October Ashton-under-Lyne - Tameside Hippodrome. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Group bookings: 0800 587 5007.

29th October Loughborough - The Town Hall. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01509 231 914.

30th October Wolverhampton - Grand Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01902 429 212.

31st October Bolton - Albert Halls. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01204 334 400.

1st November Stoke-on-Trent - Victoria Hall. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £5- buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 0870 0606 649.

2nd November Lancaster - Grand Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01524 64695.

5th November Wakefield - Theatre Royal. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £7- buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01924 211 311.

7th November Harlow - The Playhouse Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01279 431 945.

8th November Weston-super-Mare - The Playhouse Theatre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01934 645 544.

9th November High Wycombe - Wycombe Swan. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01494 512 000.

13th November Swansea - The Swansea Grand. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6 - buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01792 475 715.

14th November Radlett, Herts - The Radlett Centre. 10am & 1pm. Tickets £6- buy 10 and get the 11th free. Box Office: 01923 859 291.