Upon this Bank is the name of an exhibition of work by Southwark schoolchildren who have been involved in a project on the Globe theatre and its Elizabethan history.
On display is a model of a wood frame bear-baiting house, designs for Elizabethan embroidered gloves and costumes, pickled food from recipes of the time, paintings, drawings, photographs of performances, and writing, all generated by the education work that schools near to the theatre have been involved with for the last year. The exhibition, which was launched exactly a year before the Globe is officially opened as a theatre, goes on until the end of the month at the Education Centre, Bear Gardens, London SE1 9EB. For more details, ring 0171 620 0202.
An eye-catching press release from St Richard Gwyn High School in Clwyd tries to seduce arts reviewers to come see the school’s production of Hiawatha by promising “your chance to interview the next Hugh Grant.” Rather than ponder the possible meanings, we’ll gloss over that reference, obviously thought up many, many weeks before Divine Intervention took on a whole new meaning. The production of Michael Bogadnov’s play is being presented by 49 students in the school’s new theatre and runs from July 11 to 14. Details from Maria Rimmer on 01352 732788.
The Lady Dragon’s Lament, Quicksilver Theatre for Children’s summer show, comes to the end of its national tour with public performances July 13 to 15 at the Manchester Royal Exchange. Written and performed by Nona Shepphard, it takes the form of an epic poem which turns the myth of St George firmly on its head and looks at things from a dragonist perspective. To book, ring the Royal Exchange box office on 0161 833 9833.
The third annual Sheffield Children’s Festival is up and running, with 180 projects involving more than 5,000 schoolchildren across the city. Music, performance, visual arts, carnival, film, radio and literature are all produced by local schools in collaboration with painters, musicians from Opera North, textile artists, graphic designers and media professionals. Among the highlights: Sheffield Youth Theatre presents Richard III; Crucible Youth Theatre Dreams of Anne Frank by Bernard Kops; Blank State Theatre Company of King Edward VII School Ghost Dances, about native American myths, legends and struggles and many more youth theatre performances, dance and music. For a programme, contact the Destination Sheffield Visitor and Conference Bureau on 0114 273 6603.
Fifty years ago, Dulwich College Preparatory School pupils returned from north Wales, to where they had been evacuated. Last week, Home from Home, a musical about that experience was performed not only to school parents but also to an audience in the Memorial Hall at Betws-y-Coed, the town which took the children in.
The performance included 45 children from the local primary, who learned the songs specially for the occasion and was watched by more than 50 original evacuees from Dulwich. Over a year was spent developing the ideas, which started off as a few songs and developed into a full-blown musical.
Boom Boom, the Biscuit Tin, performed last week at Park View Comprehensive, Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, was a school play with a difference. It was written by 12 sixth formers as part of an exam assignment and involved research in the local Beamish archives. The play looks at children growing up in the area between 1902 and 1910, highlighting boys going down the mines and the effects of the West Stanley pit disaster on the community. The students also directed and produced.
RK.
