Summer nearly over

Having returned from a successful tour in Spain to the rain and cold of the typical English Summer, we are now heavily into rehearsals with our two new wonderful actresses.
Jade and Emily have joined us for the forthcoming school year.
Both are extremely talented and are picking up rapidly on the exacting task of learning NINE plays.
Whilst Karen is a real task master and demands perfection, she has a heart of gold and the girls are having plenty of fun picking up on the myriad of characters, plots, costumes and props. I hear it all sat at the computer coordinating the bookings for the coming months.
In keeping with the changes to the National Curriculum, we are expanding our portfolio and offering a wide range of Drama Workshops. In fact, we can now accomodate any subject the wider ranging and more recent history studies demand.
Just mention a subject and, if we do not already carry it, we will do the research and come up with a tailor made presentation.
I will sign off now, but will remember to ask Jade and Emily for photos I can add later.
Until next time....
Albert

Never enough time

I cannot believe my last posting was back in February.
Where has all the time gone, and what have I been doing?
Well, apart from arranging auditions for the next school year, studying the changes proposed to the National Curriculum, and ensuring we are still very much "on the ball" with our productions, we have been busy promoting our "Health and Safety" book for the young - Billy Beware! - as there has been a surge in demand for this play. About time too! There is so much about "Elf 'n Safety", but so little of it relates to the very young.
Also, we are promoting "Transition Workshops" for year six children. I remember the daunting prospect of a new school where, from being the biggest, I was to become the smallest. And that was the least of the problems I encountered. Add getting lost, being bullied and not knowing many of the other kids, and none of the teachers.
So now you can book us to come along and alleviate most of the worries and fears.
Drama Workshops are very much in vogue, and we are able to tailor make them on just about any subject. We even have an ongoing enquiry on the best way to treat pets.
Well, I have given you a taster of what we have in store, and have inserted some pictures from our "Billy Beware!" book.
Until the next time,
Albert

Will it ever stop raining!

You must all be wondering where I have been, or if I am dead, or maybe drowned!
Well the truth is I have been so busy thinking about this website and the need to upgrade it, I have just not had the time to write anything.
Now the good news is we will soon have a brand new site; all singing and dancing but, more importantly, offering the opportunity to display special offers and weekly or monthly deals.
For example, if you are a small primary school, you will have the chance to book a play for one key stage and have any one of our other productions for the other key stage for FREE.
Or, perhaps the chance to book us for the current term and get us for HALF PRICE next term.
Or, we may even throw in a Drama Workshop at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
You may ask why are we offering such bargains. Well, it is because we know from your feedback you want us, but cannot always afford us.
I seem to recall some mention of school budgets being "ring fenced" when the chancellor was making cuts, and telling us all to tighten our belts.
Unfortunately, as all you head teachers know, that was a promise that was never kept.
With less to spend it has to be done wisely. We can visit you often for less than the cost of coaches to take the children to the theatre. And they will be in your safe and secure environment.
Okay, enough of the sales pitch.
I have to get back to work so, until the next time (not so long I promise) au revoir,
Albert.
p.s. Remind me to tell you about our book. Here is a visual preview.

Rehearsing Full Time

Heather and Ellis are enjoying the current wave of sunshine as they throw themselves eagerly into the somewhat intensive rehearsal schedule. One play already under their belts after the wonderful performances of "The Gingerbread Man" at the Southsea Festival. Only eight more plays to learn and they will be true veterans!

Performed to a lively bunch of kids at a birthday party in Bicester over the weekend - good practice for the new school term in a couple of weeks time.

Bookings are coming in already as teachers prepare for the new year. (Schools have different calendars from us mere mortals and start their years in September!)

Our mailing will go out to some 10,800 schools early next month and then the phone will "melt", and emails will pour in. The Autumn term (schools do not acknowledge Winter!) is our busiest period and we are already filling for December, so hurry and make your Christmas bookings.

Karen and I did manage a couple of weeks in France and Northern Spain: a well spent time doing nothing too much, unless you count eating, drinking and plenty of wine tasting. Sadly, that is now just history and it is back to business.

Until I next write, here are our new actors.

Albert...

James makes our day

Nothing pleases us more than fan mail.
We were truly delighted to receive the following earlier this week:-

St. Mary's Catholic Primary School
Webbs Wood Road
Bradley Stoke
South Glos.
BS32 8EJ

2nd July 2013

Dear Aesop's Theatre Company,

My name is James and I attend St. Mary's Catholic Primary School. Last week I watched an excellent performance of Robin Hood. Your show taught me a lot of science knowledge in an enjoyable way.

I now understand why chucking things in rivers is so bad. It pollutes the water and kills God's creatures. Until the show I did not know the importance of trees. I will try and use less paper to help the environment. I have told my dad we should buy a compost bin to recycle our fruit and vegetable waste.

Thank you for coming to St. Mary's. I would be honoured to be able to see another of your educational shows.

Yours faithfully,

James

Age 10

Thanks for that James. We hope to see you again soon.

Albert.....

Watch this space

We have had a very difficult but truly enjoyable time auditioning new actors for the next school year starting in September.
Heather Wilson and Ellis Seamons are delighted to be joining us, and we are throwing them in at the deep end with an early performance of "The Gingerbread Man" on the 3rd August at the Southsea Show.
They are currently getting to grips with this play before launching into extensive rehearsal schedules for the other eight productions.
Shortly their own blogs will be appearing on the website, and my readers will soon be treated to a glimpse of their portraits.
Bookings are now coming in for the children's Christmas treats: so do book early to avoid disappointment.
"The Story of Aesop's Fables" for the whole primary range, and "The Adventures of the Gingerbread Man" for the nursery and infants are always favourites for the festive season.

A couple of photos here to whet your appetites.
Back soon,
Albert 

EASTER CAME AND WENT

Well done if you managed to stay dry and warm. Our poor little Gingerbread Man nearly froze to death at a seaside theatre. It was so blustery we had to wrap him in a blanket. Mind you, he ran faster than he has ever run before just to keep warm! Now the sun has finally arrived, albeit intermitently, we will be seeing more beheadings as Henry VIII goes through his list of unsuspecting children at numerous schools in the months ahead.
One of the rewarding aspects from speaking with our actors is the variety in performing different plays. "It is never boring!" is often one of the comments made by our dedicated team.
Well, that's good to know;  as a writer and actor myself, I often think how lucky we are having ten plays available whereas, for example, some actors perform only one play every day in the West End for a year. Our work certainly keeps the actors fresh and on their toes. I have no doubt about that, and you never know how the children will react either. In our experience, kids are very honest and let you know exactly what they are thinking!

As, in the words of the great man himself, W.C. Fields;  "Never work with animals or children."

Of course, he has a point! I commend those actors and entertainers who do work with children for they will reap many rewards for their trials and tribulations, as do we with our own plays and workshops.

In conclusion, our actors have the best of both worlds; the traditional repertory style of live theatre where they learn many different plays and perform them ad hoc and the challenge of working with younger and older children with the improvisational and instinctive demands this represents.

With thanks to Karen for much of this input,

Until the next time,

Albert