LET’S ALL JOIN IN

Whilst 95% of what we do is in schools for nursery, infant, junior and occasionally senior audiences, we do also perform in theatres, village halls, conference centres and at parties in homes and gardens: well, just about anywhere really.

What’s interesting is it’s not just the kids that are entertained: parents, teachers and adults in general enjoy the shows. When booking a repeat performance for the following term, it is heartening to hear a teacher say “I cannot wait to see it again. I was enthralled just as much as the children, and at times could not stop laughing”.

Well, we do put a good deal of humour into our productions, particularly if we are dealing with a dark subject like “World War II”, or “Plagues and Pestilence”, or “Great Fire of London”. It is important to hold the audience and this is very much our forte.

However, we never lose sight of the fact we are a “Theatre in Education” company and, as such, we always ensure our plays and workshops are fully researched for accuracy of content. Of course, as in any professional production there is room for some poetic licence.

Next time I will tell you about other areas we cover but, until then, I will endeavour to find some amusing scenes from past performances.

Albert…..

ACADEMIES - TO BE OR NOT TO BE?

That is one helluva question!

Thankfully, I am not qualified to pass judgement. But, then again, I would not need to be qualified to teach in one. How crazy is that!

I have spoken to many teachers and learnt that before Covid struck, the emphasis was on reducing the teaching age. With salaries on an incremental scale determined by age, I guess that made sense if you were looking to cut costs and who wouldn't be!

Of course, Covid knocked that on the head with so many teachers being taken ill and schools having to close as a result. So now there is a real shortage of "proper" teachers and, thankfully if only temporarily, the age bar has been lifted.

So, what has all this to do with Aesop's Touring Theatre Company you ask.

Well, accepting the initial concept that an academy was a euphemism for a failed school, since extended to include any that wish to adapt, the real area of concern is the ability to choose what to teach and what is of no importance or too expensive to continue.

Now I believe you can see where I am heading.

With pastoral care on the increase, dare I suggest partly through parents obviating their duties, but largely because of the increase in mental health problems brought about by the pandemic, the cost of such provision is astronomical when compared to basic teaching. To this must be added the provision for "special needs".

Since academies have the legal right to stray from the National Curriculum, guess what is the first thing to suffer.

Of course, the arts, because they are not recognized as being more than a luxury.   

How wrong can that be? What about social intercourse? What better way to bring together a bunch of kids than to develop their creative skills, to assist them in working as a team during a drama workshop. 

Our experience spans the past 25 years and, if there is one thing we have learnt, it is that every child should have the opportunity for self expression, to develop self esteem and portray their often hidden abilities.    

This is what THEATRE IN EDUCATION offers, a platform for the future. Please do not deny our future generations that opportunity.

Okay, I will now get off my platform and find some more pictures for you.

Once more, Albert.....