STRANGE things have been happening at St Roch’s Secondary School this week.

People with suitcases have been turning up in the classrooms; missing posters have appeared in the hallways; mysterious animals have vanished....

Parents need not panic, however – the school has not lost the plot. The odd events and activities are all part of Solar Bear Theatre Company’s new show, a timely look at migration and belonging.

A wildly imaginative adaptation of Shaun Tan’s graphic novel without words, The Arrival is about a man who starts a new life in a city full of strange customs, peculiar animals and weird vegetables. He doesn’t speak the language; he can’t read the maps or signs and so he relies on the help of sympathetic strangers, each carrying their own story, to survive.

The four-strong Scottish cast features both deaf and non-hearing performers: Craig McCulloch, Kirsty Eila McIntyre, Moira Anne McAusland and Jatinder Randhawa.

It is at Scottish Youth Theatre tonight and tomorrow and visits Eastwood Park Theatre on Friday before beginning a cross-country tour, which involves staging a special interactive version in Scottish schools.

The schools work was developed with pupils at St Roch’s Deaf Unit, who enjoyed the world premiere yesterday (Tuesday).

Director Jonathan Lloyd spent 10 weeks working with staff and students at the school.

“We worked with a brilliant group of deaf and hearing students there, exploring and testing out ideas for The Arrival,” he says.

“The 20 students at St Roch’s have been our research and development team. We used pages and chapters of the book as starting points for discussions, games and exercises and we explored ways to communicate and collaborate when you don’t always share the same language.

“For example, how can you give someone directions, or ask for things in a shop, or play games together?”

The team looked at film-clips from Scotland’s past, of people making journeys to Canada or the United States, and the farewells as the boats left Greenock.

Jonathan adds: “With the support of the Scottish Refugee Council we also heard from a visiting speaker, Abdul Bostani, about what it’s like to be a refugee in today’s UK, More than anything, as the director of the show, I’ve had the chance to see the story with fresh eyes.”

He explains: “That’s why at Solar Bear we like to work in this way. For us, working with young people at this early stage is crucial in shaping the final project. It inspires us and takes us to places we never expected.”

Mhairi Quinn, drama and pastoral care teacher at St Roch’s said: “Working with Solar Bear has been a fantastic experience. Our school has deaf and hearing students, and also many young people from different cultures - Ireland, Syria, Poland and more. It’s the perfect environment for exploring themes of being in a new place, trying to work out how to negotiate the rules and fit in.

“It also chimes with that experience of being a new first year, trying to find your place, so it is ideal for schools.”