A Message from Judy Seall, the head of drama…

Head of Drama, Judy Seall .... flying!

Drama at Dolphin is about being creative, stretching the imagination, expressing ourselves, gaining confidence and developing co-operative skills. It is also about laughing a lot!

We follow the Arts Council Guidance on drama ensuring that our students have the opportunity to create drama, perform drama and respond to drama. Drama is taught formally once a week from Year Two upwards, and over the course of their Dolphin School life students will encounter a wide range of dramatic materials and texts; experience, understand and use creatively dramatic concepts, forms and techniques; experiment with and gain competence in modes of performance; and have access to a wide range of live theatre.

Professionals from the theatre world visit us regularly running workshops on a variety of subjects ranging from visual mask theatre to creating and bringing to life puppets made from junk. There are numerous trips organised to see live theatre – this has included highly respected companies such as Kneehigh, the RSC and NIE touring company. And we watched one of the very first productions at the Unicorn Theatre after it had moved into its new home on Tooley Street.

We stage two major productions annually and numerous other smaller pieces for specific events, such as Bookweek, the weekly assembly or the Shakespeare in Schools Festival. We hope to create dynamic, thought-provoking and popular theatre, which not only challenges us, but the audience as well. Many of the productions are written especially for the students; the most recent example being Hairs and Graces, an adaptation of three Grimms’ fairy tales. Do read the review!

Central to this work is our belief that participating in drama and the other arts can have a profound impact on young people’s lives by promoting creativity, self-confidence and enhancing learning, as well as being lots of fun!

It has been another exciting and full year in the drama department!

Hi! I am actually the first person to write the blog, apparently. We were all really enthusiastic about it, but then we just forgot-we were too busy remembering our lines, I guess. But then again.... some people are still forgetting their cues, me included! We've spent so much time on the end, I forgot the beginning! I think the worst part of the play is when all the 'lovers' (me, Rosie, Gregory and Craig) have to snuggle up. And we all have to put our arms in certain places and my arm gets so uncomfortable. Sorry for being whiny. There are plenty more things to grumble about like some of us still are forgetting cues and the play is 3 days away. AAARGH! We were doing advertising on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. In the morning I was so cold my hands almost dropped off.

I have to go now, coz it's nearly time for bed...... bye! From Ruth, 3^rd October 2009