5 Reasons Why Drama in Schools Should Matter
Why does drama in schools, especially Primary Schools, matter?
When you start to list the immediate benefits (never mind the long term ones), you quickly find that luxury turns into necessity.
2024 – How was it for you?
End of 2024 – how was it for you? I can’t believe we have reached the end of the year already, but here we are. Thank you for finding the will and wherewithal to work with us for us another incredible year.
End of the Year – We Made It!
At the end of the year, we’ve worked with approximately 1700 children aged 4-12, in 13 different counties and 1 other country.
Mad March Macbeth Marathon – Triceratops Steak Anyone?
March has been a mad MACBETH month! And we’ve thrown in a couple of MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM workshops for good measure too. It has been a veritable banquet of the bizarre, the brave and the best. Read on for just a taste of the delights we’ve experienced this month. St Michael’s Junior School, Chelmsford Two years ago we visited this lovely school for the first time with THE TEMPEST. How brilliant then that Years 5 & 6 (3&4 two years ago) remembered it so well and were really eager to tell us of their roles last time. It didn’t take long though for the MACBETH Murder Mystery to take hold and hook them in! Menu Choice and Ambitions On the menu for the King’s Banquet at Glamis Castle on the first day in Chelmsford was some traditional fayre: Big Mac ‘n’ Cheese (a delicacy made in honour of the host obvs); caviar; chicken nuggets and a boar’s head……raw!!! If King Duncan had eaten that, perhaps all Lady Macbeth’s dreams would have come to fruition in a more natural and public way! Mind you, the offerings on Day Two, though inventive, were not that much more appetising, – Triceratops Steak; Crocodile Head and a Dead Duck (a relief to all no doubt that it was actually dead!)! When it comes to ambitions – let’s be honest, Lady Macbeth wanting to be Queen is SO predictable! – we had some amazing hopes and dreams, Zoo Keeper was popular, as was footballer and teacher, but how about Conservationist, Tattoo Artist and Wrestler?! Come on! This is what dreams are made of! Nick and I loved our two days with the children and staff of St Michael’s (which also provided us with a cracking lunch each day). Huge thanks to Mrs Orton for organising the visit. We hope we might see you again in another couple of years! St Dominic’s School From Chelmsford, Nick and I journeyed on to Surrey and St Dominic’s, a highly regarded special school. We’ve been here twice before and it is an incredible place. This visit was to work with Year 7 on A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Getting up, putting on a hat, and playing a character is not everybody’s cup of tea, we get that – so Nick and I began the workshop donning hats various ourselves. It wasn’t long before we had a really enthusiastic volunteer who played several parts in the end. Actually, by the end of the first workshop, virtually everyone was wearing a hat and playing a role. And those that weren’t, contributed in other ways – suggesting possible love interests for Titania (“a fat slug”) for example. The second workshop produced some more energetic performances including from a member of staff. Fabulous to see the warm connection between students and teacher. In both workshops there was some concern over the name of the Changeling Boy, (he was thus named ‘Bob’ and ‘Cappy Prometheus’ respectively – and why not?). We also saw and heard two terrific Pucks and, if you’ll pardon the expression, two brilliant Bottoms! Once again huge thanks to Miss Grant and Mrs Pryor for making this visit happen – we look forward to the next time! “I have heard nothing but good things about the day so thank you for ensuring that pupils were engaged and clearly got a lot from the workshops. Until next time.. “ Head of English and Head of Lower School St Catherine of Siena, Birmingham Next stop in the Mad March Macbeth Marathon was St Catherine’s of Siena in Birmingham. This was my second visit to this fabulous school and, I hope, not my last. Once again i worked with Year 6 on MACBETH and Year 5 on A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. First up was Year 6 (they did The Dream with me last year, so veterans of FINDING THE WILL). Aside from the great (and somewhat surprising to the teachers anyway) performances, there were some cracking additions to the menu for the King’s Banquet. In 17 years of FTW workshops, we have never had ‘filet mignon’ on the table! Alongside red wine, champagne and ham sandwiches, who could ask for more? here’s what some of Year 6 thought of the morning: Jaya: I enjoyed how some of us were small characters however at the end it turned out that all of our parts were important and there was a big twist at the end. I liked how Macbeth was a normal person who didn’t expect to be King however soon changed and became a murderer. Veronika: I liked how we all got to play a part and the story was great! Mosiah: I enjoyed the workshop because it was really fun and I liked how we got to re-enact the story and it helped us to actually understand the story of Macbeth. It was really good that even if you didn’t have a main part, you could still join in. Mary: I liked how we were able to challenge our inner actor and how Jules helped us to understand the difficult language that Shakespeare used when he actually wrote it. Noah: I liked how we got to learn new words from 400 years ago and how there is no definite end to the play and we can all make our own assumptions. Akariyo: I liked how Macduff and Macbeth had a sword fight at the end and how we had to act out the battle. Year 6, St Catherine of Siena In the afternoon I left Scotland for the only time that week. I headed to Athens with Year 5 for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. As complicated as this story is (and it is incredibly complicated!), it is fantastic to hear the gasps and laughter when Puck’s endeavours go wrong. It never ceases to amaze me how children keep up with who is in love with whom and, therefore, who needs the antidote. Needless to say, Year 5 at St Catherine’s did not disappoint! Lucas: I loved
Magic in Muscat!
Magic was all around The Royal Opera House, Muscat at the beginning of February! Exploring Shakespeare FINDING THE WILL was thrilled to be given the opportunity to be part of the Play Your Dream – Exploring Shakespeare Project at the The Royal Opera House, Muscat earlier this month. Whilst we are known for weaving our magic nationally here in the UK, it was a huge thrill to be asked to share our work internationally. At the end of December we were approached to run workshops for children on A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM in the run up to performances of Benjamin Britten’s opera. What an honour! Just look where we finished up! The Magic of the Interactive Workshops Here at FINDING THE WILL we have always strived to increase the confidence and self-esteem of the children we work with. We weren’t sure what to expect when we set off on the first morning in Oman. Would the children we were to meet be shy? Scared of speaking up? Unable to understand us? Would they follow the story? Would they want to take part? We needn’t have worried! Both Richard and I were amazed by the confidence, vocabulary, enthusiasm and general joie de vivre of all of the children we met. In total we worked with approximately 200 children over the three days. They ranged in age from 6 – 12 and were from a variety of backgrounds. One workshop was purely for children who were home-schooled. With only 5 children taking part in this one, we roped in their mums to play Oberon, Titania and Puck, whilst Richard and I covered Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus. In all honesty, the adults in the room (Teachers, parents, Opera House staff), in every workshop we ran, were as engaged as the children. Completely drawn into the magic of the story! The most unusual Stage Door we have ever had the privilege of walking through! What an incredible building! Magic moments There were many magic moments throughout the three days but there are a couple that stand out for me. Firstly, this gem of a moment: Richard: ” What would you say to your friend Bottom, if he suddenly appeared with a donkey’s head on?” Answer: “Get him to a doctor! Take him to a laboratory!” As always with FINDING THE WILL, there is never a wrong answer, just an interesting idea. The second moment that I will carry with me is the sound of raucous laughter. the pure joy of 40 children following a story (in a second language don’t forget), and relishing every twist and turn along the way. Whether it’s the magic of Shakespeare, the magic of our storytelling, or a combination of both, that sound – pure hilarity – is priceless. Heading home Our brief but oh so fulfilling visit came to an end on 8th February. There are whispers of us returning in April 2025 and Richard and I would be delighted if that happens. The country of Oman is fascinating, the people we met (both inside and outside of the Opera House) were warm and friendly. It feels like there is much more we can share with each other, so we really hope that this is not the last that the Royal Opera House, Muscat sees of us, or we see of it! Tempest Magic! Meanwhile, back here in the UK, Nick spent a couple of days in Bristol with Year 3 at Whitehall Primary. The magic of THE TEMPEST was the draw here. I understand there was a memorably enthusiastic dancing Prospero, a couple of really great Calibans and a swell of excitement for the forthcoming ‘Shakespeare Show’. That’s what we like to hear, the magic of Shakespeare continuing to spread! Thanks to Ms Tovey for liaising with me to arrange the visit this year. The magic of March! Coming up we have a busy month ahead. Nick and I are heading to Chelmsford (St Michael’s Junior School) and to Surrey (St Dominic’s Special Education School) with MACBETH and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM respectively. Then I am returning to St Catherine’s of Siena Primary in Birmingham, followed by Shellingford Primary in Oxfordshire with THE DREAM and MACBETH respectively. So I’ll be back at the end of next month with more tales of Macbeth mayhem and Midsummer magic. Until then, shukran liqarayatik
Why did the cow cross the road?
Why did the cow cross the road?
Why does drama matter?
So the real reason why the cow crossed the road – apart from to get to the udder side (see what I did there?) was……
How Are You Coping?
Hello Again! How are you coping in these turbulent, anxious and, frankly, terrifying times? It’s been just over 2 months since I was last in touch with you all and so much has changed! We all thought that coping with Covid was bad enough (it was) but now we’ve been hit by something possibly even more debilitating – The Cost Of Living Crisis. So whether you are a teacher, TA, parent, carer or child – how are you coping? “The Queen, my lord, is dead.” How many times have we asked children to say those words over the years? Following the demise of Lady Macbeth, a servant has the grim task of passing on the tragic news to her husband, Lord Macbeth. Now however, those very words have a slightly different resonance because ‘The Queen’ and ‘Our Queen’ (as President Macron said) IS dead. And suddenly we are all part of a new Shakespearean tragedy with a new King, two new Prime Ministers, betrayal, fear, anger, anxiety, jealousy, war, and unrequited love. How are YOU coping with all of this? Coping in the Autumn Term I’ll be honest, it’s been a slow start to the academic year for us. In fact I would go so far as to say it’s one of the slowest starts to the year that we’ve ever had (with the exception of the 2020 Covid Year). However, I’m glad to report we do have some repeat bookings – including one usual Autumn Term booking which has moved to the Spring Term – and lots of enquiries. It’s clear though that Shakespeare is having to take his place in the priority queue. How are we coping? By being sanguine! Trying to remain as calm as possible and keeping the faith that, like Covid, one day this will all be over! We’re looking forward to heading back to Hornchurch next week to work on Macbeth with Year 6 at St Mary’s Catholic Primary. Last year they served up kebabs, haggis, sushi and wasabi at King Duncan’s banquet, so we’re eager to see what’s on the menu this year! Coping in the Spring Term The Spring term is always a busy one for FINDING THE WILL and, thankfully, that still seems to be the case next year. We are kicking off 2023 with a return visit to lovely Great Leighs Primary in Essex. This will be our 4th visit to this cracking school and we are returning with A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. It’s the perfect way to start a new year! We’re back in Bristol with The Tempest at Whitehall Primary in February and heading to a new school to us in Birmingham in March – St Catherine of Siena in Lee Bank – with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth. With our old friends at Castleview Primary in Slough slotting us in at the beginning of March, The Spring Term is looking promising. And then there’s something very exciting happening…………. Merthyr Tydfil Children’s Literature Festival We have been invited to be part of what, by all accounts, is the biggest children’s literature festival in the UK. Prior to the Festival we will be working with a local primary school on Macbeth, running an interactive workshop and then rehearsing two scenes with them to be performed at the Launch of the Festival. On the day itself (20 April 2023) we will be running two Macbeth Interactive Workshops in Welsh. As if all this wasn’t exciting enough, also at the Festival will be our patron, the children’s legend that is Michael Rosen! We can’t wait! So as grim as the times may seem right now, keep smiling everyone. Check in now and again with your loved ones to see how they are coping and stay strong! We WILL get through this as we always do.
End Of Term Report!
During the academic year 2021/22 we have worked in 15 Primary Schools and 3 Special Schools with approximately 1450 young people.
A HUGE End of Term Thank You then to all the schools we have worked with this year.
Our wonderful co-founder and director Richard Curnow is heading to the Edmonton Fringe, Canada
February on Film!
As we draw to the end of February, I have much to report regarding the film of NAMING THE VIEW. The good news is that we are on track for the scheduled screenings next month (hooray!) but it’s been a massive learning curve so far. When I started this whole project back in the second lockdown (November 2020), it seemed like it would be a relatively simple thing to do. A play with a theme of coercive control would attract funding surely, especially if we could involve Television Production students and make it accessible to all communities into the bargain. Not so! Arts Council applications are renowned for being complicated and now I know why! The first attempt failed but I was so sure that this was a project with legs, that I was determined not to give up. I sought more guidance, did more research, drummed up more support and in July 2021 I succeeded! I managed to obtain a full Arts Council National Lottery Project Grant on the second attempt and was over the moon! Surely now it would all be plain sailing! So far, at least 25 people have been involved in the production in a hands on manner, one way or another. Considering that when we perform the show live, it is normally just Richard and myself, you can see why this whole experience has been so challenging! Within the 25+ personnel there are camera operators, boom operators, sound engineers, a vision mixer, a dubbing mixer, a floor manager, a script editor, a data wrangler (a what?), an editor, Signers, interpreters, an audio-describer, a caterer, a director and, last but not least, a couple of actors. Being able to give people paid work, invaluable hands-on experience and another credit on the CV does give me a fuzzy feeling inside though, especially after the last couple of Covid years. When the 5 event screenings are over, we will make the film available to all domestic abuse charities and services free of charge upon request. The play itself reflects on the subtleties of coercive control, and its long-term effects plus offering some hope that things can change. “Naming the View is a simple two-hander with a rather multifaceted premise. This keenly observed piece offers emotive and affecting insight into how people can become trapped in abusive relationships. It’s about surviving and moving beyond that abuse. Naming the View is riven with humour and hope.” Stage Talk Magazine ★★★★ Event Screenings There are 5 opportunities over the next 6 weeks to watch this Studio Drama. The World Premiere screening of NAMING THE VIEW is at The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham at 7.30pm on Thursday 10 March. At 7.30pm on the following 4 Thursday evenings you can catch the film (which lasts just over an hour) online from the comfort of your own sofa! The hosts for these screenings are as follows: RNID (signed) – 17 March; Tortive Theatre – 24 March; intoBodmin – 31 March; Tortive Theatre – 7 April. Please contact jules@findingthewill.com to find out more details. In other news…. So, as the editing and captioning process in Falmouth continued, February saw me back in school. Specifically Whitehall Primary School in Bristol. I spent the day with Year 3 working on The Tempest. In the morning we were sailing from Africa back to Italy aboard The Good Ship Dawn Treader. In the afternoon we were all aboard The Good Ship Rose. Inevitably both ships were wrecked in the tempest (or were they? No spoiler alerts here!) and we all finished up on a desert island awash with magic and mayhem! This February visit to the island was the first of many to come. In March, we will be returning to Prospero’s island via London, Chelmsford and Peterborough. We’ll be stopping off in the magical wood outside Athens via North Tyneside and Bicester on the way. As we say goodbye to February then, there is a lot riding on March! Please do join us for one of the screenings of NAMING THE VIEW if you possibly can and, in the meantime, stay safe. As we say in a play I know very well…. “The flag still flies and the city has not fallen.” We stand in support of the people of Ukraine.
January Blues? No time for that!
There was an extraordinary banquet laid on for King Duncan – Pepperoni Pizza, Pigs in Blankets and Brussel Sprouts.