Flaming June it might not have been (until the last week), but here at FINDING THE WILL we were cooking! We’ve been in 4 different schools, led 9 Interactive Workshops, completed 2 Project Weeks and threw in a couple of performances of NAMING THE VIEW for good measure. We’ve been to Hampshire, Surrey, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall and Lincolnshire. Flaming June has flown! Lots to tell you about then, so read on for the highlights…….
Andover Primary – Macbeth
We began the month at Andover Primary, Hampshire. This was our second annual visit to the school to work on MACBETH with Y6. Even within the confines of a classroom, the children still managed to use their imaginations to conjure up a murky heath with one lone tree on it. Later they continued along this theme by putting one leaf from the one tree into the witches cauldron. Very magical! For King Duncan’s banquet we had a giant roast dinner with a special dish of pasta meatballs for the King himself (well it was his favourite)! And most gratifying of all was the growing confidence of all involved as the morning progressed. Thanks to Mrs Scott for making this happen a second year in a row.
Westende Junior – 2 Days, 4 Plays
Our next stop in flaming June was Westende Junior in Wokingham. As always Nick and I had a lovely warm welcome – this being our fourth annual visit. Y6 this year was Y3 when we first worked with them 4 years ago, so they are going on to Y7 with knowledge of 4 Shakespeare plays. Hopefully one of them will crop up when they start studying for GCSEs.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM with Y3 kicked off our two days. A sparky group of children with interesting ideas of how Hermia and Lysander could be together, despite the law of Athens!
“If she gets her head chopped off, at least Lysander can keep her body”
“I’d marry the one I’m supposed to, then sneak out at night and see the other”
ROMEO & JULIET with Y4 was really quite a moving afternoon. There were some deep and innovative thinkers in this year group.
“Why doesn’t Romeo steal someone’s identity so he can go to the Capulet party?”
“If Friar Laurence was really a good friend of Romeo, why WOULDN’T he marry Romeo to Juliet?“
And the acting out of the final tomb scene was beautifully done by those so young.
THE TEMPEST with Y5 provided some light relief on Day 2. Trinculo the Jester was in need of new jokes as always. After a few offerings, we got this (which I must say made everyone, teachers included, fall about):
“Why do ducks have feathers?”
“I don’t know, why do ducks have feathers?”
“To cover their butt quack!”
With material like that, Trinculo’s comedy career is assured!
MACBETH with Y6 completed their set of 4 Shakespeare plays before leaving. Unlike Lady Macbeth’s ruthless ambitious streak, the ambitions of this year group centred around being happy, being successful and having a 9-5 job (possibly as a vocal coach or a zoologist!). Travel safely on Y6 in whatever you do and remember you are now official Shakespeare Ambassadors!
Huge thanks to Miss Ogilvie for organising these two days – fingers crossed, we can do it all again next year!
St Botolph’s, Peterborough – Macbeth Project Week
The second week of flaming June (yes, we’re only on the second week!) was spent in Peterborough with the lovely staff and children at St Botolph’s CofE Primary. here we were reminded that there are many unsung heroes in a production at whatever level. Some fabulous props were created including a quite spectacular severed head!
Years 5 & 6 made up our 120 strong cast for this week and they did a terrific job. . I must make mention of a stunning Porter – her movements to accompany her ‘drunken’ voice were brilliant. Gender-blind casting is a FINDING THE WILL staple and we are very used to females playing males. However, a male Lady Macbeth, now that was something else!
Fay and I had a glorious week, so enormous thanks to Miss Pickard for all the liaising and organisation over the last year in order to make this fabulous week happen. Here is her feedback:
What did you enjoy most about FINDING THE WILL?
That you have no preconceptions of the children and get the absolute best out of all of them.
What do you think the children took away from FINDING THE WILL?
Oh they loved it. They had so much confidence and some of them discovered how well they can act.
What was the most valuable element of FINDING THE WILL for you as a teacher?
That you judge everybody as you find them and that you build their confidence. Children often start the week thinking they can’t, but then find out just what they can achieve.
What can FINDING THE WILL improve upon?
I would just have you come every year if we could afford it (but I’m not asking you to reduce your costs – you’re worth every penny).
What is your opinion of the FINDING THE WILL practitioner(s) who delivered your workshop/Project Week?
FABULOUS! They built confidence in the children, showed them what they were capable of, supported them when they had a wobble and understood their needs.
Y5 Teacher
Barkston & Syston Primary, Lincs – Dream Project Week
The final week of flaming June was hot! However, the heat did not stop the entire Barkston & Syston Primary from Reception right through to Y6 putting on a stellar performance of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM on Friday afternoon.
As so often happens, it is the smaller roles that throw up the biggest surprises. Children who don’t normally shine, suddenly sparkle! The tiniest voices become audible, the small voices become big and the big voices become bigger. Some heartwarming performances full of courage and unexpected delight.
With the help of actors from Years 4 and 6, Reception and Y1 showed some real spark. Reception produced an outstanding Puck and an equally engaging Hermia. The cute factor aside, these 4 and 5 year olds did a tremendous job. And talking of Tremendous jobs, let’s hear it for the 5 year old in Y1 who came to the rescue in spectacular fashion at the eleventh hour. When 8 year old Hermia (a splendid performance in the making) went down with illness on Friday morning, the search was on. The height difference between Helena and Hermia being crucial in this particular scene, we had to look to younger members of our company. Y1 Puck (5 years old) with her clear voice and confidence was an obvious choice and, boy, did she deliver!
This was a terrific end to our full on flaming June and we can’t thank the staff and children at Barkston and Syston enough. This is a truly remarkable school led by the incomparable Miss Lyon.
NAMING THE VIEW in Cornwall
Sandwiched in between the MACBETH and DREAM Project Weeks was a performance week for Richard and me.
Again this was a total privilege for me to perform in this exquisitely written piece by the talented Mr Curnow. Not only does he write brilliant Project Week scenes for children, but he also writes beautiful and meaningful dialogue.
“Naming The View was a really special night. Quality writing and performances came together and we were all invested in your every word. We haven’t stopped talking about it.”
Heartwarming, Beautifully Paced
Audience reactions
Extraordinary, talented Actors
Funny, Emotional, Hopeful
Positive, honest and Moving
If you’d like to know more about this, please click here. #notmyfault #coercivecontrol
So that’s it – a busy June that just got better and better. Massive thanks to all the staff, children, venue hosts and audience members who made it such a memorable and rewarding 4 weeks. More to come before the end of the academic year, meanwhile……