tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27849973454334135602023-11-16T02:49:20.610-08:00Drama in the CommunityFelicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-12635322775819887562009-06-01T07:04:00.000-07:002009-06-01T07:10:19.898-07:00ExperienceMy Community Project does not finish untill October this year, therfore i am working there right up untill that date( 6th oct 2009). so far i have enjoyed working in schools and with the community on various other projects. The course has encouraged me to apply for taecher assisitant jobs working in secondary schools as well as consider applying for my PGCE in 2010. i Am glad that i shose to do this course as it has provided me with a key insight to tachering as well as been a fundermetal experience for me. It has enabled me to feel more confident as well as giving me a taster of what i want to do in the future.<br /><br />I have enjoyed this course very much and the cousre has been a grate end to three years at St Marys!!!!!!!!!1Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-52484952601054681812009-05-13T09:07:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:13:56.914-07:00Shakespear FestivalI am working closely with year 10, of which is a very talented year. i was taken back at how talented several of the students are. i was very suprosed to hear that many of the students hate English lit, yet are extreamily good at reading and understanding Shakespeare. I think this class are very lucky to have Pete workibg with them as he really takes time with this particualr group, he is even trying to get several students into the Brits school.<br /><br />The shakespear School Festival is an arts-education initiative open to students from all bavkgrounds. since 2000 they have put 65,000 11-16 olds from 3,075 secondary schools on stage in 203 professional theatres. each teacher director involves recieves a full-day directors workshop, run for the first time this year by the National Theatre Discovery program. each cast recieves a workshop run by the National Theatre of Great Britian.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-39464976641668024612009-05-13T08:59:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:06:54.715-07:00Relationship between staff and PUPILThe students at Stanley Park are all very loveable and very talented and i have noticed the strong bomds and relationships drama has brought into the classrooms. They have a very open and friendly relationship with Pete. I have increasingly noticed how they buy him presents and give him a hug in lesson. I spoke to Pete about it and he said the students have done that since he became a drama teacher, Pete is a former science teacher, the school didi nit o drama so Pete was on a trail basis to save drama, the children all love pete and love drama. To begin with i was uncomfortable about the students hugging me as they started showing me the same affection as they do Pete, often giving me a hug. However i have since become used to the relationship and friendlyness within the classroom. I think it is a good thing to have a happy and welcoming mood to work in as this will encourage the students to work better.<br /><br />Many students work closely with Pete, for their work experience at the Poker Theatre. Pete preforms alot on stage and has a company of which several of the students have joined since his performnce of Around The World In 80 Days.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-28206076082224662102009-05-13T08:48:00.000-07:002009-05-13T08:58:42.537-07:00starting At Stanley Park High SchoolTo start with i was really scared how the students would react to me, as i remember hating new people coming in to teach when i was in high/sixth form. maybe because we was nearly the same age as the teachers. However i had nothing to worry about as the students were all very nice and welcoming to me.<br /><br />From 3.30-5pm i run workshops for yr7.8 and 9, who are performing Skellig by David Almond at the end of term to parents and friends. I watched what they had done so far then went around and helped small groups. As the students rehersed i spoke with Pete, the drama teacher in charge. Pete old me a little bit about each student. one girl called Jess hated school dueto being bullied. Dramam was her only way of expressing herself and made her happy.<br /><br />At 5-7pm i run workshops for year 10, who are rehearsing for The Shakespeare School Festival held in Fairfeild hall, croyden this october. We focused on voice games which reminded me of A Comdey Of Errors rehearsal in second year. They showed me what they had done so far, and i was really impressed with how well they read Shakespear and how talented they were. Myself a Pete gave feedback after each scene which was vital to the progression if the scenes.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-42519407557561400682009-05-13T08:28:00.000-07:002009-05-13T08:43:47.821-07:00Parkside ProjectSt Pauls community centre runs alot of community projects which is valued within the estaes community. the Parkside Community Project runs parenting workshops, which enabled both future, new and existing parents to meet and share with other parents. the workshop aim is to help find soultions to problems and share and help each other. this is held evry friday morning.<br /><br />The Parkside Project also runs a scheme called the Befriending scheme, which I think is a valuable and extremely benificial scheme. The scheme consist of a group of volunteers who visit older people in their homes for a chat, cup ot teas, walks, but most importantly roviding company for the elderly people within the community.<br /><br />The commmunity centre also holds community events every month, which enabled people to met and feel safer in the neighbourhood. They provide a playgroup, youth club and a table tennis club. During the day they provide for the elderly and young and of a evening run youth clubs for the estate teenagers.<br /><br />I have joined the Befriending scheme as i think its a really constructive scheme and i spend alot of time at St Pauls community centre training with my dance coach. therfore i see and have become friends with the people on the estate. The volunteers consisit of a variety of ages which is nice, especially as two of the volunteers are two boys from the youth club. I wish thay had a scheme like this in my community.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-45598314424705834532009-03-01T11:22:00.000-08:002009-03-01T11:39:15.426-08:00First DayWednesday 25th Feb 2009<br /><br />Today I completed my first three and a half hours of community work and I really loved it.To start wuth I was really scared how the students would react to someone new coming into their classes, as I rememeber always hating the people who came in to our dramam club back in high school as sixth form, partly because we were nearly the same age. However I had nothing to worry about as the students were very welcoming of me. At 3.30pm I helped run the drama club for year 7 and 8's. They are rehersing for a play by David Almond. To begin with I watched what they had done so far, which to be honest was not much. I then went around the group as they were split into small working groups and given 20 mins to learn a small section of script and perform it to each other. I was really impressed how well they acted considering the amount of time they had. As they rehersed I spoke with the Drama teacher, Pete. He told me a little bit about each students, there was one girl called Jess who hated school due to being builled, and that she only would attend Drama classes. I thought it was really intreasting that drmam was the only subject she felt confident in, maybe because she cuold hde behind dirrent characters as she acted. Then at 5pm untill 7pm I helped with year 9 and 10's, rehering fir the Shakespeare Festival, of which they are doing A Midsummers Dream. To start with they focused on voice games inorder to warm up, which reminded me of rehersals for A Comdey Of Errors, as we played similar games. They then showed me a scnen they had been working on. then in a circle each pupile had to say something they thought worked or did not work. This was a vital ellemnt of the club as everyone worked together on each scene.<br /><br />I really enjoyed my first few hour and I am looking forward to next week to she the progess of the work. I attend the school evevry Wednesday for three and a half hours.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-30309350593166952932009-03-01T11:17:00.000-08:002009-03-01T11:22:10.905-08:00Shakespeare FestivialMy Role<br /><br />For my placement I am attending an after school club at a locial high school. From 3.30pm untill 5pm I will be working with year 7 and 8, Then from 5pm untill 7pm working with year 9 and 10 on the Shakespeare School Festivial which will be shown at Fairfeild Hall in Croyden, in October of this year. My role is to help with the rehersal process, directing some scenen , as well as helping with any costume/poster design.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-73951240646586256282009-02-20T08:05:00.000-08:002009-02-20T08:10:52.038-08:00American Drama<span style="color:#cc33cc;">American Theatre</span><br /><br />For this semister I am doing American Theatre, We as a class are looking into American Immigratation and common trends within the United States. I done some research into Amercian culture looking at social and political views. There community seems completetly different to ours, seemingly on a l;arger scale, yet it does not appear as close. I was intreasted how different places hold differnces in communities and values and meanings towards the idea of communities of people both alike and different to one another.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-15532061225105461552009-02-15T15:07:00.000-08:002009-02-15T15:18:56.988-08:00I love to DANCE...Dancing.<br /><br />my dance partner (Lee) and myself have been asked to do another demonstration during the half term for a carers home in my area. They run event days for the people who live there. All of the people at this articular home have to be over the age of 55 years old, and many don't get out much, In 2006 they built a community hall wherby the residents can use, originally they had just a tv in there. However since them it is frequently used to hold cake sales, fates, bingo, film events. we was approached by the onsite warden,Mary, who asked if we could do a selection of Ballroom and Latin American dances during the afternoon.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-88205732493312812962009-02-15T14:47:00.000-08:002009-02-15T15:04:43.761-08:00PlacementPlacement...<br /><br />Originally I was going to work along side Emily, however we found it hard to find a placement willing for us to work for 40 hours. Therfore we decided to split up as was more easier to find a placement for 20 hours. I contacted many places and was lucky enough to have several replies.<br />I wanted a challange and decided to work with older children, such as a yourth group or high school, in the end I decided to pick a locial high school within my commnuity.<br /><br />I am attending a locial High school, running a after school club for year 7-9, and staright after that working with year 11 students, who are rehersing for the Shakespeare festival.<br />I am starting my hours after the half term, originally I was only going to do 20 hours there however the teacher in charge has asked me if i would like to help out in after school activities gaining more experience and confidence within my role.<br /><br />I am really looking forward to this project, I have visited the school and had many chats with the teacher in charge about possible ideas for the production.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-42684171893547412892009-01-20T15:01:00.000-08:002009-01-20T15:03:19.489-08:00Ian Cook<strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Meeting Ian Cook</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Tuesday 20th January 2009</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br />This evening I went dancing in Wimbledon/Putney where I train, my mum came along to watch us tonight. As we left the building a man in his late 30s approached us, and said “My car has broke down, any chance you have a pound?”<br /><br />Straight away my mum said no as I reached for my purse, he said ok and walked off. The area we dance in, is a rough estate which attracts a lot of youth and alcoholics and drugs. Which I think is shame because he could have been genuine but the area has such a name for its self, that it is hard not to think otherwise. My mum and my dance partner said he was just after money for drink. As we drove off I could not stop thinking about him, I thought even if it was for drink, he must be very desperate to ask for a pound. I could not just drive away so I begged Lee and my mum to turn around and look for him. My mum and lee no me better then anyone and no what I am like. So we drove around for about 5 mins, then I spotted him asking someone else. I said excuse me and he looked really puzzled. I said I feel really bad that we said no, and I want you to take this money, all I had was £3.oo on me, and he looked at me and said “No one has ever done that for me?” And he asked my name and kissed my hand. He told me something I thought was really sad, he said he asked two people and they looked at him like dirt, and one man laughed at him. I thought how rude and horrible that is to treat him like that, ok, he most probably does want it for drink but he was desperate and I think that a little bit of help from a genuine person goes a long way. That £3.00 was just in bottom of my purse,. He told us how he had broke down, which to be honest I do not believe but I felt better in myself for going back and looking for him. I was really taken back to his reaction, he seemed really surprised and touched. He kept saying how no one has ever done that before, which actually made me feel sad for him. He said he was 43 years old, called Ian Cook, a painter a decorator, he was brought up on Wimbledon Common with his father, worked all his life. He asked our manes, kissed me and mum on the hand and said that he would never forget what I done. I was really touched and even my mum and lee said they were pleased we went back.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-66323516448267748142009-01-20T04:55:00.000-08:002009-01-20T15:11:43.257-08:00Community Work<span style="font-size:130%;">Extra Ideas for Community Based Work</span><br /><br />Around my area there is not much available for both the youth and older people to do. From doing a few dance demonstration for different events it has made me realise how my community lacks in social and community based things to do. I would like to be able to provide something for my community, such as afternoons with the elderly or workshops with the youth. I danced for a group of elderly people at my Nan’s church and they really enjoyed it and said that it was nice to know that people of my age are doing something for the older generatation Originally I wanted to go into a school and run a workshop, however I am now thinking of maybe putting on small dance performance for different venues in my area, particularly schools and old peoples homes.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-8193661815253010492009-01-20T04:22:00.000-08:002009-01-20T15:14:27.757-08:00DANCING for othersDance Demonstration<br /><br />For those of you who don’t know I am a Latin American dancer. I compete as Pre-champion/amateur dancer at a nation level. Last year I came second in the country at Blackpool. I have been competing for a couple of years and go to a private coach twice a week. I have been asked to do a demonstration for a community event in December 2008. My dancer partner, lee and myself are very keen on doing events like this. We are currently attending community halls, old peoples homes, churches and venues and performing in the spaces. We are doing it a both a experiences and the enjoyment of helping and providing the community with something, of which we do not ask for money or funds. So far we have done four demonstrations, I have noticed that the elderly are particularly grateful as around my area there is alot of homes, which sadly does not cater for entertainment for the elderly.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-10144299631041929722009-01-20T03:07:00.000-08:002009-01-20T05:34:33.504-08:00Fiona and Mary<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;"><strong>The best lesson with Mary and Fiona</strong></span></div><br /><span style="color:#330000;">Mary is 74 years old and was born in 1934, Fiona was 59 years old and born in 1949. Both Mary and Fiona had really interesting lives and told there stories which so much passion. I think they thought that they was boring us but I think I speak for the whole class when I say they engaged and captured the whole class with their stories and memories.<br />We went around in a circle and introduced ourselves, I noticed that when I said “hello my name is Flick” they asked “What does that stand for? Felicity?” which I find every elderly person does, they are not familiar with nicknames or arbitrations.<br /><br />The group asked some question to encourage them to talk. Such as <strong>“What was you doing around our age of 20/21?”<br /><br /></strong>Mary worked for Scottish Widow which she stated is now a coffee bar, she recalled that the city at that time was a very interesting place to be, (1952)men wore suits and hats and walked with umbrellas. Mary talked about the old King dieing and there being no TV, so the family gathered around the radio to hear the news about the king. Mary also talked about the Royal exchange, watching the test match, she recall it was like a big cricket switch board which people all gathered around. Her mother had died in west ;London and she lived with her father in Fulham.<br /><br />Fiona also lived in Fulham, she said had a very boring job and wanted to get away so she went to America (Washington State) with a friend. She said that the American people had never heard English people as they never went there. Fiona said that the Americans never went outside where they lived, they never used public transport such as the bus. Fiona talked about post Vietnam war and northern Ireland, at the end she said it was a holiday of a life time.<br /><br />We then started to look at the props and costumes that Tina had brought in. Mary picked up the 1950’s dress and talked about petit -coats and how light and pretty they were. Recalling fond me memories of making the dresses, and passing them down to her daughter in her teens. Mary talked about visiting the costume museum and seeing one of her dresses in display cabinet and made her feel old. Mary then talked about how the dresses where free and made her feel like a woman, she lastly said that this memory made her feel very youthful again and brought fond memories back.<br /><br />Mary then picked up a string vest and talked about how unseen it was that her father used to take his shirt off and reveal his string vest. Then the mood changed and she talked about cancer, talking about how in them days people were unaware of cancer and used to get sun burnt through the tops and skin cancer was evident, people got skin cancer but there was no advice or information about it then. In them days people were unaware that smoking was harmful as well, everyone smoked.<br /><br /></span><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Memorable Events</span></strong></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;">Fiona at the age of 17 went to a Beetles concert, she paid for it from her first job wages. They played at Hammersmith Odeon which is now Hammersmith Apollo. She recall the traffic was so bad as everyone was going to the concert Fiona told us how she remembers standing on the seat and screaming non-stop throughout the concert that she actually could not even hear them. She made a point that they stood on the seats, which in 1967 was unheard off but everyone did. Fiona talked about her passion for music stating “Music was my thing“. Fiona said that Pink Floyd actually played at St. Mary’s University and she came along to watch them.<br />Mary then followed on and talked about Glastonbury, and about her daughter coming back home with loads of friends, referring to them as the League of Nations as they were all of difference in ethics. She talked fondly about her toilet, that they thought it was like a place compared to wheat they had been using. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><br /><span style="color:#330000;">Mary talked about Waterloo Station with such love and passion, for her 70th birthday her son meet her under the clock. The reason she has close memories was due to the time she spent at the station during the war, travelling back and fourth. She said “I could write my life around Waterloo Station.”</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>Memories of FIRST love</strong></span></div><br /><div align="left"><br /><span style="color:#330000;">Mary told us that her first love was when she was 14 years old, she used to go and play tennis and there was some boys there who used to joke around with her and her friend, The boy used to carry her racket home for her. They developed a close friendship but he had to go away or the Nation Service, she recalls being heat broken. However in 1957 they married and lived together for a year and decided the could not stand each other and in 1964 divorced. The story was told in a very funny manner and the class found her delivery very funny. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;">Fiona told us about meeting a man in Piccadilly circus, she danced with a man, he feel over and she helped him up. Her friends up and left her and she recall them saying “he looks trust worthy” and they left. She told us a very funny story about his watch, that he had a really big and new watch that she assumed was for a 18th birthday, as in them days a watch was a traditional 18th birthday present, Fiona was 21 and in those days you went out with people of the same age. Anyway he was 22 years old, at the end of the night he said he would talk her home by car, Fiona recalls walking down Regent Street looking for his car as he forgot where it was parked. They dated for 3 years and married. Fiona celebrated her 33 year anniversary in 2008. Which I thought was a really lovely story. </span></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#cc33cc;">RE-CREATING Fiona’s Story</span></strong></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;">We got into group and began to devise, the aim was to re-tell either Mary’s or Fiona’s stories. We decided to re-tell Fiona’s story about meeting her first love. I played Fiona, during the lesson I noticed she kept looking at a black and white dress, so I wore the 1960’s dress. We re-crated the club scene and her friends leaving her and looking for the car. We stuck as closely to the story as we could, even adding dancing around the handbags and false eye lashers. We downloaded the beetles and played it whilst performing.</span></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Feedback</span></strong></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;">Fiona a and Mary came back and where seated ready to watch the performances. After all the performances they talked about them. They both said they really enjoyed watching what we got from there stories and that they brought back fond and vivid me memories of the past. Fiona said that she was surprised how much we managed to pick up about her and the memory from just by what she aid. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;">I really enjoyed this lesson and it has made me re-think my placement, originally I wanted to work with teenagers in a school but this had really made me consider working with the older generation for a community based project. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#330000;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"></div>Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-86417552237359502302009-01-20T03:00:00.001-08:002009-01-20T03:04:45.939-08:00Reminiscence Theatre lesson - Preparation LessonWe begin preparation for the arrival of our two guests, who are coming to talk and re-call past memories. Tina is going to bring a variety of props and costumes in to the lesson, therefore to encourage the guest to remember and talk about icon moments to them. The costumes will also aid as a mental stimulus which will help our guests to recall past memories. Once they have talked about the past and we have asked questions Mark, Molly and Tina will then take them off somewhere for a drink or tour of the university, and we will have half an hour to try and re-create and perform their past memories and perform them to them. I am really looking forward to doing this exercise, however I am slightly nervous about taking there stories and re-creating them. The most daunting part is that we will be performing them back to them. However I am looking forward to see what they think and feel towards our interpretation of the stories.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-79467203737882592042009-01-20T02:36:00.000-08:002009-01-20T02:44:45.005-08:00Questions to ask our Visiters20/11/08<br /><br />Two visiters are coming into our lesson, Mark suggested to prepare some questions to ask them and to research a little bit about past eras, so that we each have something to talk about. I begain writting basic questions down, such as When was you born? or Where was you born? I then started to narrow the questions down, such as What is your earlist memory? or what was the most memorible time in your life si far? First boyfreinds? and the questions seemed to flow more naturally.<br /><br />I am looking forward to the lesson, I think this will most probally be my favourie lesson. I love listening to peoples ways of life and listening to the differences thay have experienced, compared to myself.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-40994312010971475092008-11-12T08:10:00.000-08:002008-11-12T08:13:12.603-08:00<strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I found this story on the GMTV's website about a woman who named and shamed her own son inregards to binge drinking, the full story is shown below:</span></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Warning for teen bingers Binge drinking</span></strong><br /><br />Sue Strom has named and shamed her son for binge drinking as a warning to others. Would you do the same?<br />A mother has released a photograph of her seriously ill son who at just 13 could barely breathe after drinking up to a litre bottle of vodka in a park. Sue Strom, from Brighton decided to release the picture as a warning to other youngsters and their parents. Jack was very close to death and his mother wants to warn other parents and teenagers of the perils of binge drinking.When she arrived at hospital, Jack was attached to an oxegen mask and was fighting alcohol poisoning and hypothermia. She has been a wreck ever since and is having trouble sleeping at night.<br />Sussex police issued a warning to all teenagers and confirmed they were trying to trace and prosecute the person who purchased the drink.<br />They have been cracking down on underage drinking and last week a local Tesco Express store was banned from selling any alcohol for a month after being caught selling to 15 and 16 year olds.<br />Since Labour have been in power, the number of children being treated for alcohol-related illnesses have increased by a third, with girls and boys in their late teens that are being treated for cirrhosis.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-65388287042135839922008-11-12T07:54:00.000-08:002008-11-12T08:10:05.416-08:00Binge driking Research<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">BRITIAN & BINGE DRINKING</span></strong><br /><a href="http://www.gmtv.com/">http://www.gmtv.com/</a><br /><br />A group of MPs are calling for curbs on Britain's booze culture by banning happy hours along<br />with minimum alcohol prices. Email us<br />A group of MPs called for a ban on "happy hour" drink promotions today. Supermarkets should also be prevented by law from selling alcohol at a loss to encourage people into their stores, they said.<br /><br />Citing research that showed the real price of alcohol has fallen dramatically, the Home Affairs Select Committee urged ministers to clamp down on irresponsible bars and pubs. They found the "whole focus" of police resources was in targeting booze-fuelled and football violence, meaning officers were "hitting their targets but missing the point".<br />Chairman Keith Vaz said: "We cannot have on one hand a world of alcohol promotions for profit that fuels surges of crime and disorder, and on the other the police diverting all their resources to cope with it." He also called for previously voluntary codes of conduct for the drinks industry to be legally enforceable. Last week a senior officer said police did not need new powers to tackle errant licensees.<br /><br />Compulsory code<br />Simon O'Brien, who speaks for the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) on pubs and clubs, said those selling drink irresponsibly were a "minority". Ministers are reportedly considering a compulsory code for pubs and bars that would outlaw discounts and happy hours. The rules could also ensure cut price offers extend to soft drinks, and put cigarette-style health warnings on alcohol. The report also called for police to be given electronic notebooks to speed up the recording of crime. Officers could then file reports without having to return to the station, the MPs said.<br /><br />Child drinkers<br />Government figures released today reveal a child under 10 is admitted to hospital due to alcohol problems every three days in England. Over the past five years, a total of 648 under-10s were hospitalised because of alcohol. The figures, contained in a parliamentary answer revealed by the Liberal Democrats, also showed that more than 24,000 children under 16 were admitted due to alcohol over the past five years.Some 12,500 young people aged 16-17 were admitted to Accident and Emergency because of alcohol problems over the past five years - an increase of 95% from 2002 to 2007.The Liberal Democrats highlighted the figures ahead of the launch of their strategy to tackle underage and binge drinking tomorrow.Lib Dem culture spokesman Don Foster said the Government had "completely failed" to tackle Britain's "growing alcohol problem".<br /><br />Shocking findingsHe said: "For so many children of such a young age to be hospitalised is scandalous. Ministers must conduct an urgent review of the systems in place which are meant to be ensuring that young children cannot have access to such harmful substances. "Only a complete change to our drinking culture will prevent a whole generation of young people from being condemned to serious alcohol-related illnesses."The figures from the Department of Health also showed that just over 600,000 adults were admitted with alcohol problems to English NHS trusts over the last five years. Some 85,000 over-18s were admitted in 2002-03, while 153,000 were hospitalised in 2006-07 - an increase of 80%.<br />Hospital admissionsOn average, 130 children under 10 were admitted to hospital each year between 2002 and 2007, equating to an admission every 72 hours.The hospital admissions related to episodes where one or more of the following three diagnoses were mentioned: mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol use, alcoholic liver disease or the toxic effect of alcohol. A total of 36,585 under-18s were hospitalised due to alcohol over the last five years.<br /><p><br />Lib Dem recommendations :</p><ul><li>Stop irresponsible drink promotions by introducing a minimum price for alcohol<br />Put an end to the sale of alcohol to minors by imposing a "one strike and you're out policy<br />Provide educational resources for parents so that they can teacher their children how to drink responsibly </li><li>Increase funding for alcohol treatment services<br />Protect A&E staff by ensuring that drunks who are disruptive in hospital A&E departments are dealt with </li><li>Give local authorities the power to target irresponsible premises and make them pay their fair shareHelp local authorities to share best practice from their experiences<br />Support the roll out of pilot schemes that help the police such as identifiable barcodes for off-licence sales </li><li>Promote choice in bars by re-introducing smaller glass measures.<br /><br /><br />A group of MPs are calling for curbs on Britain's booze culture by banning happy hours along with minimum alcohol prices. Email us<br />A group of MPs called for a ban on "happy hour" drink promotions today. Supermarkets should also be prevented by law from selling alcohol at a loss to encourage people into their stores, they said. </li></ul><p align="left">Citing research that showed the real price of alcohol has fallen dramatically, the Home Affairs Select Committee urged ministers to clamp down on irresponsible bars and pubs. They found the "whole focus" of police resources was in targeting booze-fuelled and football violence, meaning officers were "hitting their targets but missing the point".<br />Chairman Keith Vaz said: "We cannot have on one hand a world of alcohol promotions for profit that fuels surges of crime and disorder, and on the other the police diverting all their resources to cope with it." He also called for previously voluntary codes of conduct for the drinks industry to be legally enforceable. Last week a senior officer said police did not need new powers to tackle errant licensees. </p><p align="left"><br /> </p>Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-11720191069459669032008-11-05T03:18:00.000-08:002008-11-05T03:22:27.215-08:00Yard Gal Review<span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">EVENING STANDARD newspaper 03/11/08</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Yard Gal is astonishing By Fiona Mountford</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;color:#000000;">***** </span><br />It is a rare and delightful treat to encounter a production as splendid as this, especially in a lesser known fringe venue. A credit-crunch-friendly £8 buys entry to 21-year-old director Stef O’Driscoll’s revival of Rebecca Prichard’s terrifying look at two teenage girls posturing around the streets of Hackney. From the opening seconds, O’Driscoll’s confidence-packed production has us gripped, as Boo (Stefanie Di Rubbo) and Marie (Monsay Whitney) saunter on and eyeball individual audience members with menacing intent. Thus begins a hurtling 90-minute account of drug taking and dealing, casual prostitution and girl gang etiquette. Di Rubbo and Whitney are charismatic young actors with great futures. They capture with unflagging vocal and physical energy the high spirits and black humour of these lifelong friends, as well as recounting the exploits of fellow “yard gals”, including one who loved fighting so long as it didn’t mess with her hair. All the bounce in the world, however, cannot mask the frighteningly nihilistic lives that Boo and Marie lead. A bigger yard — or transfer to a larger theatre — would be just reward for these astonishing gals.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-43283714365167043842008-10-30T12:03:00.000-07:002008-10-30T15:33:53.689-07:00My Local Paper<strong>Mitcham & Morden Guardian Paper</strong><br />yourlocalguardian.co.uk<br /><br />Today on the front of The Guardian was the headlines ABSOLUTE DISGRACE about Bishopsford Community School regarding a suspened pupil. I found the article to be of intrest as was about how a boy was seemingly praised for his bad behaviour within my community.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">ABSOLUTE DISGRACE?</span><br /><br />Suspended pupil given jolly at national radio station<br />by Craig Burnett<br /><a href="mailto:cburnett@london.newsquest.co.uk">cburnett@london.newsquest.co.uk</a><br /><br /><br /><br />A national radio sttion has outraged a Morden headteacher after offering a schoolboy the chance to go behind the scenes on its breakfast show.<br /><br />Absolute Radio gave a pupil from Bishopsford Community school in Morden the chance to help out on the breakfast show for one day earlier this month, as he was serving a three-day suspension from the school in Lilleshall Road.<br /><br />The station said a 5am start and "hard day's graft" would make the 13-year-old grateful for life at school- but his headteacher knew nothing of the stunt and said the expereince sent out wrong messages.<br /><br />The boy's parents intitially called the station's morning show to ask for advice on confiscating their son's mobile phone because of his baf behaviour. When host Christian O'Connell heard their story he offered the teenager the chance to come to the studio for a morning.<br /><br />In a press release promoting the stunt, an absolute spokesman said the 13-year-old "reported for duty at 6am and was immediately set to work on the very important task of making tea for everyone. After that is was staight on the phones to take calls from the public and help in making sure everything behind the scenes."<br /><br />The pupil later said he "really enjoyed" the day, while his mum said: "You can't turn down a chance like this - not many people get to do it."<br /><br />But headteacher Andrew Barker was less than im pressed. "The child should have been at home - it's the wrong sort of publicity for someone who is being punished, " he said.<br />"There are lots of fantastic kids here who would have loved to have this opportunity as a reward for good behaviour. It would have been helpful if there was some sort of communication with us."<br />Reacting to the story online, one yourlocalguardian.co.uk reader said: "what about all the good hard working children out there who behave, what do they get?" while another said: "I'm absolutely livid about this."<br />A spokesman for the station said: "He was put through his paces on the show and certainly understood that it wasn't going to be an easy day. We sent him home straight after the show finished at 10am with the full day stretching ahead of him - and with orders to do his homework and start behaving himself."Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-43651227510276175462008-10-30T11:49:00.000-07:002008-10-30T12:02:57.430-07:00Placements For The Assessment<span style="color:#993399;"><strong>Assessment Ideas 23/10/08</strong><br /></span><br />Today we talked about possibe ideas for our final assessment. I would like to go back to my high school and run a drama club for the student there. Bishopsford community school is always in the local paper for the wrong reasons, it gets very neggative views and still has not washed away it's bad image desipte having a new headmaster. It is a community based school which mean of a evening it caters for adult classes within the community. I would like to work with Bishopsford schooland at the end put on a production that the community could attend.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bishopsford.org/">http://www.bishopsford.org/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.merton.gov.uk/">www.merton.gov.uk</a>Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-14765905360893145742008-10-30T11:14:00.000-07:002008-10-30T11:31:52.950-07:00Project<span style="color:#009900;"><strong>PROJECT- Binge Drinking</strong></span> 23/10/08<br /><br />To produce a Verbatim script about binge drinking.<br /><br />St Mary's has a noticeable problem with alcohol at the university and therefore we have all been set a project to undertake. We went around the group talking about possible people to interview:<br /><br /><ul><li>Underage drinkers</li><li>Bar Tenders</li><li>Bar's/clubs</li><li>Bouncers on club door</li><li>Off licences</li><li>Police</li><li>Ambulance</li><li>Cab drivers</li><li>Family members</li></ul><p></p>Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-90036159984187243452008-10-30T10:24:00.000-07:002008-10-30T11:48:19.216-07:00Verbatim TheatreVerbatim Theatre 23/10/08<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff99ff;">What is Verbatim Theatre?</span></strong><br /><em>Verbatim theatre is a phrase used to describe a type of play that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Verbatim plays are, as the name suggests, written using only the precise words spoken by people interviewed about a particular event or topic.<br />The playwright interviews people that are connected to the topic that the play is focused on and uses their testimony to construct the piece. In this way they seek to achieve a degree of authority akin to that represented by the news. Such plays may be focused on politics, disasters or even sporting events.<br />A verbatim style of theatre uses the real words from interviewees to construct the play. Recorded voice delivery is an extension of verbatim theatre in which actors have recorded interviews played back to them during the performance, allowing them to directly mimic the accents and manner of speech, as well as the words, of the people they portray.</em><br /><br />All of the above was taken from <span style="color:#3366ff;">www. wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbatim_theatre</span><br /><span style="color:#ff99ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#ff99ff;">Exercise one:</span><br />Mark asked Simona how to get to a certain place, she started with " emm, right...emm ok so..." which defined her way of speaking, he then asked the same question to another person and they started completely different even though it was the same question. This is perfect example of how verbatim theatre is used. Each person in the class then wrote down how to get to a certain place( Twicknham station), Mark went around and each person read the directions out. This time the direction were more thought through and direct, they also had no characteristics of the person. This therefore showing how being on the spot or just talking convey your personality and the true person effectively capturing a sense of reality and a more realistic representation of that person.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff99ff;">Exercise Two:</span><br />The Class split in half A & B, the A people had to leave the room. I was in group A, we was told to walk back into the room when we wanted to and once in the room the A people were only aloud to talk to each other. So basically pretend the B people were not there. We walked in and the B people were just watching us, I talked with Emily for a few minutes then we exited from the room. We then went back into the room and sat down whilst the remaining people (B's) went out of the room and came back in acting out what they had just watched.<br /><br />Simona was my partner for this exercise, she picked up on things that I am aware of doing but don't realise at the time such as touching my self, in particular playing with the bottom of my top. Simona picked up on this straight away yet she did however over play my character (which she admitted to, naughty simona). But many people said they played on the things they noticed the most which seemingly mocked/Paradise the people they played.<br /><br />I found it very interesting to watch but how you could recognise yourself as well as other people , for example Emily was easily recognised as she has tendency to stand on her heels as soon as the person playing her done that I thought to myself <em>'that's so Emily'. </em><br /><br />The aspect of Verbatim theatre I liked was the enjoyment of watching it, to begin with when I entered the room I kept thinking how dull and how boring the people watching us must be? but when they re-acted us even though there was nothing in particularly interesting happen it was interesting to watch. I like the idea that you do not create a character or language as they are already given to you. Yet it is the way in which you interpret what you have watched or been told that creates the piece. Basically taking someone and responding to them as accurate as possible.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff99ff;">Examples of Verbatim Plays/texts:</span></strong><br /><br /><strong>Black Watch by Gregory Burke. (</strong>I found a useful website about this play and his work.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/">http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/</a><br /><br /><strong>Talking To Terrorist by Robin Soans. </strong><br /><br /><a href="http://www.culturewars.org.uk/">http://www.culturewars.org.uk/</a><br /><br /><strong>Cancer Tales by Neil Dunn </strong><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cancertales.org/">http://www.cancertales.org/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.paineurope.com/"><span style="color:#3366ff;">www.paineurope.com</span></a> (Contain Video links to people talking about dealing with cancer and their stories)<br /><br /><em><strong>“The Cancer Tales workbook is a valuable new method to inform and teach healthcare professionals to help patients with cancer through their experience. It has already received good feedback from palliative care specialists, which I feel is well earned.”</strong></em> <strong>Lukas Radbruch – President of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC)</strong><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong>Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-15051514803174068452008-10-30T09:45:00.000-07:002008-10-30T11:27:36.782-07:00Abortion<strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#993399;">ABORTION</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">with regards to th elast lesson i decided to do some research into why abortions cause so much debate. I found somw intresting sites that explain religious reason against as well as the right of a woman, and also why abortion is sometimes the only optoion. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion"><span style="color:#3366ff;">www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion</span></a><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><a onmouseover="window.status='www.christian.org.uk'; return true" style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" onmouseout="window.status=''" href="http://www.christian.org.uk/" target="_top"><span style="color:#3366ff;">www.christian.org.uk </span></a><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.abortionrights.org.uk/"><span style="color:#3366ff;">www.abortionrights.org.uk</span></a><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><a onmouseover="window.status='www.standupgirl.com'; return true" style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" onmouseout="window.status=''" href="http://www.standupgirl.com/" target="_top"><span style="color:#3366ff;">www.standupgirl.com</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.abort73.com/"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>www.abort73.com</strong></span></a><br /><br />I found this site(<a href="http://www.abort73.com/">http://www.abort73.com/</a>) in particular intresting as it actually show's pictures of abortions upto 22 weeks. I was very shocked by the content of the picture especially the image of the 22 week old abortion which looked like a perfectly formed baby. This site aslo has true stories of girl facing having abortions, people against and for abortions aswell as reviews and debates, I strongly recommend this site if you are intrested in how abortions raise debate.Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784997345433413560.post-32030314281088483022008-10-29T13:46:00.000-07:002008-10-30T11:30:07.095-07:00Cardboard Citizens and Augusto Boal 'The Family'<strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Group Discussion about Cardboard Citizens</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"> and 'The Family' by Augusto Boal 16/10/08</span></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3qqYCErbar6DiH2ZVoPLMIbZ8WT7GgtTVll09HbGnNJdCLLn9hxcSOVEov7uq-Z9Nz06nR0B398I01ikczxQ11Lp1pWs-drC996hJS8eEpEA8_zx8-br1UNz-SdYhI99ZRMWItvyJFI9/s1600-h/6CANQRCMOCAGQQNJ2CANDRJODCAQ9GTUFCAA99VIMCACKT11HCANN17YUCA1IPEQFCA5R9M7CCA5ABR4PCA1XPW10CADEF4RBCAOMAXYPCARVI94PCA1MYHXKCA0UMB1UCARIZSKUCAUX67QGCAHILJYO.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">The class had group discussion about <em>The Help</em> which brought up different views within the group. To begin with we talked about the name of the company. <em>Cardboard Citizens:</em> this was taken from a small community of homeless people who lived on the streets near Waterloo. This has since been Stopped and therefore communities of homeless people has disappeared, now they tend to be isolated and alone. </span><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">The main discussion point was about '<em>offending'</em> the cast due to their situations, such as homelessness. Of which stemmed a debate within the group. Personally I understand why people were worried about offending the cast because I myself was concerned about offending them. But on reflection I can see how patronising that can come across, because you can only offend someone if you consider yourself more fortunate or better then that person? such as feeling better than the homeless people acting? which I doubt anyone felt. But people are still scared of offending people and as Mark said it is very British Manner to be polite and politically correct. However I feel that in the process of not trying to offend someone you often do, as you tend to make a divide by stating a difference, in this case the fortunate Vs the less fortunate (ie homeless people). </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>POINTS RAISED IN CLASS:</strong></span><br /><br /><ul><br /><li><strong>No Drama training or background in performance</strong>- We talked about the difference between professional and armature acting. Does it matter? Does it change the performance? The majority of the class said that due to this aspect it felt real and i think this is due to the element of truth within the production. The cast have all been homeless or facing homelessness at one point, they all have stories, they all have been through the things they are acting. which allows the audience ti engage better and care for them. As in a Musical or production at The National Theatre I as an audience don't care for the actor? I may relate to the character they play but because I no its acting I don't feel compassionate towards the actual actors whereas I do with The Help. </li><br /><li><strong>Stereotyping</strong>- We talked about the dander of stereotyping someone and then paradise them? such as NIE, who joke and mock but in a controlled and pleasant manner such as allowing everyone yo join in on the joke and making the audience aware hoe ridiculous the Paradise actually is.</li><br /><li><strong>Divide socially</strong>- cultural differences, status difference ect. If start to see yourself as different or better, it is then you run the risk of offending people. </li></ul><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>THE FAMILY by Augusto Boal </strong></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Family is <em>'a playscript used durning the mandate as a basis for Forum sessions.' Which is play involving six characters:</em><br /><br /><br /><p><em>MARIA DA GRACA (youngest daughter)</em></p><p><em>MARIA DA GLORIA (elder daughter)</em></p><p><em>SEBASTIANA (mother)</em></p><p>BETO (brother to Graca & Gloria)</p><p>ORLANDO (father)</p><p>GRANDPA (grandfather)</p><p>The play tell the story of a lower-middle-class household who discover the youngest daughter Graca is pregnant. The play raises many issues such as:</p><ul><li><strong>Teenage pregnancy</strong>- Graca</li><br /><br /><li><strong>Gender struggle</strong>- The men in the family do not seem to work or help the women.</li><br /><br /><li><strong>Family valves</strong>- Christan family with a teenage girl pregnant before marriage. birth control, abortion. </li><br /><br /><li><strong>Favouritism</strong>- Gloria studies hard whilst Graca is pregnant with a married man's child.</li><br /><br /><li><strong>Money issues</strong>- poor family</li><br /><br /><li><strong>Disappointment</strong>- family disappointed, pregnancy will effect the family name "..never happens in our family...".</li><br /><br /><li><strong>Abortion</strong>- wrong or right thing to do?. </li></ul><br /><br /><p>We discussed <em>who's story'</em>the play belongs to, of which it is Graca story. we then looked at points of intervention looking at how the situation could changed/adapted, we came up with the following ideas:</p><ul><li><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">Choice of who to talk to? maybe talk to her father as opposed to her mother</span></span></li><br /><br /><li><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">Try to talk to sister abut how she feels</span></span></li><br /><br /><li><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">Tell her mother in a better situation</span></span></li><br /><br /><li>How the play is structured</li></ul><br /><p>The interesting point in this play is that all of the characters hold a certain values and opinions towards her pregnancy. Therefore there is five different angles and opinions in the play such as father disowning his daughter, brother suggesting abortion, mother against abortion, money worries ect. The main area is <span style="color:#ff0000;">ABORTION</span>, which is only mentioned once towards the end of the play and the idea is dismissed within three lines : </p><p><strong><em>BETO: "...she can abort. Take out the baby and that's that."</em> </strong></p><p><strong><em>Sebasitana: "What- abort the child? It's a mortal sin!"</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>BETO: "what sin? It's perfectly normal in these situations. Loads of girls do it. </em></strong></p><p><strong><em>ORLANDO: " That's enough..."</em></strong></p><p>Which then opens up an area of debate both in the play and for the audience as the play is set in a deeply Catholic country and the idea of abortion would most differently stimulate debate and difference in opinions. <span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">We then had a group discussion about is this an accurate representation of how a family would react? Asking the question: </span></span></p><br /><p><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;"></span><em><strong>How would your own mother and father react if you became</strong> <strong>pregnant?</strong></em></span></p><p><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">Various people in group said their mothers would be disappointed, others said they think there mum's would be supportive. Some said they would abort whilst some people were against. There was a mixed response within the class, personally to me I think my mum would be supportive yet if it was done in the same way Graca announced her pregnancy along with the situation(mistake with a married man), that my mum would be disappointed with me and express her upset. </span></span></p><p><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>CLASS EXERCISE:</strong></span> </span></span></p><p><span style="color:#3366ff;"><span style="color:#000000;">Eleven people(half of the class) wrote down what they are like at their worse. The pieces of paper are then given to the remaining eleven people to act. The aim of this exercise was to see if you could spot yourself. What was interesting is that the majority of people spotted themselves and could see the representation of themselves. We then carried out the same exercise but using what are you like at your best. Of which was harder to spot yourself as the tendency of connoting happiness were very similar. </span></p></span><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Felicity Drama In The Communityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13379755340244855277noreply@blogger.com0