Elf YoursElf A Merry Little Christmas! Sorry, this is the Elf-help edition since FINDING THE WILL has broken up for Christmas and I am now working under cover (shhh!) as an Elf at Father Christmas’s Base Camp at The Eden Project, Cornwall.
Photograph by Emily Whitfield-Wicks
Santa and his Elves. Rainforest Biome, Eden Project.
As you know, dear reader, FINDNG THE WILL is well known for raising Elf-esteem and Elf-confidence in our young actors, who also learn Elf-discipline especially in the Shakespeare Project Weeks. Such qualities have been most useful for mysElf in the last few weeks of rehearsing and starting work at the Eden Base Camp for thousands of little visitors all eager to see the big man himsElf. With storytelling, creating dream recipes, memory games, Makaton singing and sending messages to Father Christmas via his special magic train, as well as having a one to one with Santa himsElf (sorry I can’t help mysElf, oops there I go again) there’s masses of opportunity for creativity and wide-eyed wonder. And it reminds me of what Christmas is really all about – sharing time, love and being together. Forget the expensive presents, my extensive research (I have exclusive access to Father Christmas) tells me that the most common answer to the question “What are you looking forward to most at Christmas?” is “Roast dinner and being with my family”. So there you have it, get the roasties in the oven, and have lots of fun playing together and talking to each other, rather than texting or playing solitary games on your phone (ooh I nearly went off on a rant then).
In other news, FINDING THE WILL is bringing the year to a close with optimism for 2019. We are going to kick off the year with visits to new schools (to us) in Ipswich and Middlesbrough with Interactive Workshops on The Tempest and Hamlet before returning to lovely Great Leighs Primary Essex for a week of Twelfth Night. So far, we will also be returning to Anson Primary, London; East Wichel Primary, Swindon; Collingbourne Primary, Wiltshire; Montpelier Primary, London and Heritage Park Primary, Peterborough. Talking of Heritage Park, we have to thank Hannah from Year 6 (now Year 7) for our 2018 Christmas Card Design. Thanks Hannah – it’s classy!
2018 Christmas Card – Artist Hannah, Year 6, Heritage Park, Peterborough
Finally, we are thrilled to announce that we will be performing our play ‘Naming The View‘ in the Spring and Summer at various locations including (so far) Banbury, Exeter, Northumbria, Cumbria, County Durham and Cornwall. With coercive control being back in the news, this is a truly relevant, thought-provoking and moving play of which both Richard and I are hugely proud. We are hoping there will be more bookings throughout the year so I’ll keep you posted on that. If you are interested in finding out more, maybe even suggest a venue near you, then click here
So that’s it, thank you 2018! All that is left for me (and Frank Sinatra) to say is “Elf Yourself A Merry Little Christmas“, good Elf and Happiness for 2019 and I look forward to being in touch with you all again in the new year. Until then, I must get mysElf back to the Base Camp in Eden – so much to do, so little time (just 21 sleeps as I write!).
Father Christmas and Elves
Merry Christmas Everyone!
