Please Mrs Butler by Allan Ahlberg

Please Mrs Butler This boy Derek Drew Keeps copying my work, Miss. What shall I do? Go and sit in the hall, dear. Go and sit in the sink. Take your books on the roof, my lamb. Do whatever you think. Please Mrs Butler This boy Derek Drew Keeps taking my rubber, Miss. What shall I do? Keep it in your hand, dear. Hide it up your vest. Swallow it if you like, love. Do what you think best. Please Mrs Butler This boy Derek Drew Keeps calling me rude names, Miss. What shall I do? I remember seeing this poem performed at the Polka Theatre and loving it. Lock yourself in the cupboard, dear. Run away to sea. Do whatever you can, my flower. But don't ask me!

The BIG project

The first meeting we had yesterday for the big community project has made me very very excited!  Like Emma C. I am excited about being on the creative team, I am going to try and read lots of children's stories over the Christmas break.  

I created the DIC 2009 Facebook group this morning and have uploaded a few photos from last years Helios.  They are photos of the costumes mainly and the puppets that Tina's niece taught the group how to make.  We now have a board for the group and will hopefully get an office soon.  I think an office is really important  so we have a space in which we can log on to the computer, and have a phone where we can be contacted by schools.  It also means we have one place where all paperwork is, so that no one has to take the work off campus and make it more easier to lose!  I think having an office will make us work in a more professional way because we will be on a corridor with other lecturers and we will be expected to behave accordingly.  

I like the idea of working with 'disabled' children and 'mainstream' children.  I think we could create some really fantastic work by doing this but I think it will be a massive challenge.  But I don't think that is a bad thing whatsoever!

As I live very near Wimbledon I am going to go to the Polka Theatre over the break and go and play in their back garden!  And see a show or 2.

Charlie and Lola

I first read the Charlie and Lola books a few years ago when I worked in small indpendent book shop on the lovely Wandsworth Common. The stories revolve around Charlie and his little sister Lola. The plot is always about everyday things that happen to small children, from their first day of school to not wanting to eat tomatoes. I think that the amazing thing about these stories, and the reason they have captured the hearts of children and parents everywhere is the fact that even thought the characters are illustrated they are very real. The stories do not patronise the children and often have subtle humour for the adults. I think all children should read the stories not just watch them on television!

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Danielle has inspired me to write something about a book I read when I was travelling!

Its about a man who escapes from a prison in australia (he was a heroin addicted and armed robber). He travels to Inida where he meets a lot of people who he helps and who help him. But what I want to tell you about is a community who goes to live with in Bombay (you might know it as Mumbai where recently there has been terrorist attacks). He lives in a slum and he says it is the only place he can call home. The communtiy he describes is what I think a community should be like. There is a leader but he is a fair person, he rules by true democracy. All the people who live in the slum are in the same condition, they live in poverty and are at constant risk of their houses being burnt down or just falling down. But at the heart of this community is love. At one point a man who is very drunk is found to have beaten his wife nearly to death. The community rallied round and helped the woman but more amazing is how they dealt wit the man. He was punished severly as you would expect. The leader tells the man he will not drink ever again and will work very hard to earn lots of money. The wife will not see him for two months and after that time she will decide if she wants to go back to him. At this point the man will have to spend the money he was worked for on a holiday where they can reconcile their relationship. The whole community supports both the man and woman, even if they do not think it is right. There are many other examples in the story of how this great community works. I really recommend this book. It has many suprises and is a rollercoaster of emotion!

I could talk about this book for a very long time so I'm going to stop here...

That feeling you get......

when you know someone has read your blog and responded.  I think its such a great thing we are doing this year in Community.  At first I didn't know if I was blogging the right sort of stuff but now if I have felt something about something, I automatically think  'ooo I'll post a blog'!  

A Utopian Drama Department

In class today we discussed our ideal 'drama department' adn were encouraged to write about it on our blogs....so that is what I am going to do now!

Firstly, I would want more rehearsal spaces, because as you get nearer to performances it becomes harder to find a proper space to rehearse. I would also want them to be soundproofed. At Central School of Speech and Drama they have soundproofed rooms; so why not us?

I would want an actual theatre. We were meant to have a 'theatre' by Christmas last year but all we have is an unusuable foyeye. I think this is important because it means there is a space which cannot be used for lectures, which means that when you are performing it doesn't feel like your performing to your class.

Proper technical things as well, like up to date lighting and sound boards and a props cupboard which has fully working and usable props.

I think the drama department spaces should feel like they belong to everyone, so then everyone will feel pride in them....I'm not sure how we go about this.

Although, the lecturers we have are great, I think there is a need for a few more, so that we can have the best from various strands of drama.

I think we should have more training from the first year. I know for me the first year was a bit of a farce. I didn't learn that much and I didn't care about it either. I was never challenged, so I never had to take risks. I think if your taught to really care about your work from the moment you start your degree, then your commitment level thorughout the three years is automatically upped.

There is also a need for links with the professional world, outside the lighting and costume modules. Maybe agencies should be asked to come and see work put on by students, this will mean the bar will be raised, and as I have already said, the commitment levels upped too.

I'm sure I will thing of some more things, but this is it for now.