Unexpected box exposure

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

TURNING HEADS: Aoraki Polytech outdoor recreation students, from left, Vaughan McWhirter and Keenan King found ways to get people's attention in Timaru yesterday.

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Something odd occurred in the centre of Timaru yesterday.

Big boxes that spoke and masked brolly-wielding dancers graced Stafford St at lunchtime.

Behind the excitement were Aoraki Polytechnic first-year outdoor recreation students, wrapping up a week of drama classes.

The exercise in the town centre was designed to boost the students' confidence and take them out of their comfort zones, while providing entertainment for the public. The students intended to "expose people to the unexpected", said student Anna Loomes.

Visiting drama tutor Evelyn Mann, who trained the students during the week-long course, was pleased with how the day went.

"It's about how they communicate with others and about how people feel when they communicate with them," she said.

"I would hope that they look at people in the street in a new way."

- © Fairfax NZ News