FINDING THE WILL in lockdown is not easy for anyone. FINDING THE WILL to get up, to switch on the news, to forage for food, to educate children, to entertain the family and to resist gorging endlessly on chocolate and wine is one thing (well six things actually) – however FINDING THE WILL to stay creative, keep the FINDING THE WILL name and brand alive when every shred of work has been cancelled until who knows when, is taking FINDING THE WILL to a whole new level!
But this is not a ‘please feel sorry for us’ blog (although, if you do, thank you very much!) – this is more about exploring what we can do to make the time pass as swiftly and constructively as possible. So we’ll start with how FINDING THE WILL can help all of you who find yourself home-schooling and are a bit foxed as to how to cover Literacy. Doubtless you’ll have guidance from your wonderful individual schools and teachers but, if you need a little extra inspiration, we can send you a free Teachers’ Pack on any one of the following plays: Macbeth; The Tempest; Romeo & Juliet; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Hamlet or Twelfth Night. Each pack contains a synopsis of the play, some fun follow up work in the form of creative writing and drama games, a list of the main characters and some useful speeches and phrases from the original text. Normally these packs are provided as a complimentary addition to any workshop or Project Week booked but, as both those products are currently impossible to deliver, we thought the packs might be just as useful as a stand alone resource. If you would like one please get in touch via our Contact Us page.
Just as our school work has been curtailed, so has our performing work. We had performances booked of NAMING THE VIEW and BARD HEADS but of course they have had to be cancelled. Whilst we’re as certain as we can be that they will be rescheduled, it is particularly frustrating since NAMING THE VIEW focuses on coercive control and domestic abuse. Already evidence suggests that calls to domestic abuse helplines have dramatically increased, so when we can perform this beautiful piece again, we hope it will be snatched up!
There is a small possibility that something exciting might happen from the comfort of our own homes in the weeks to come but I can’t tell you anymore at the moment (Official Secrets Act unofficially signed!).
And now it has been confirmed that the lockdown will continue until 7 May at least. So to everyone out there….
There will be challenges, there will be laughs, there will be tears before bedtime but we can do this! Please feel free to contact FINDING THE WILL if you or someone in your family needs help with any of the plays mentioned above. We are more than happy to help if we possibly can – and don’t forget the Teachers’ Pack. As a Year 6 teacher said to me on receipt of all six recently “I’ve been having a look through the packs and they’re amazing!” – don’t take her word for it though, get in touch!
Stay safe, stay well, stay at home and stay sane!
Together we are FINDING THE WILL to beat this thing!
