GREAT ALNE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Great Alne Primary School was interested in developing the theme of Another Country in relation to ideas of ‘enchantment’ and ‘other wordliness’ as depicted in Shakespeare’s plays The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This connection enabled the School’s involvement in Another Country to link to a RSC major year long festival, The Complete Works. Schools across the county performed in Warwickshire’s Mini Complete Works, with Great Alne Primary School performing at The Bridge House Theatre, Warwick.
Artists Charlie Dark and Perveen Chohan worked with 30 children in Years 5 and 6, leading a range of activities culminating in a performance involving all 30 children.
Perveen Chohan focused on mixed media art activities to create the theatrical environment, designing and developing a range of props including masks, butterflies, fairy wings and giant spell books.
Charlie Dark worked with a group of children exploring moral issues in the plays and creative approaches to poetry, sound and music, encouraging children to consider new approaches to incorporating words in poetry, and music composition.
Trevor Mathison provided images and sounds collected during his residency in the village, which were an integral part of the performance.
‘It broadened their horizons extended their thinking about and understanding of language. They got to think in completely new ways about words, how words are linked with sound and when sound becomes music.’ Teacher, Great Alne Primary School
‘There is no doubt in my mind that the experience of working with Charlie was a formative experience that would have helped shape children’s views and perceptions about cultural diversity….There was a strong sense of them accepting difference and seeing that we are all really the same. So I believe it must have challenged any stereotypes they did have about young, urban black men. This exposure is absolutely vital for them. It’s something we just can’t provide on our own.’ Head Teacher, Great Alne Primary School
Great Alne Primary School was interested in developing the theme of Another Country in relation to ideas of ‘enchantment’ and ‘other wordliness’ as depicted in Shakespeare’s plays The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This connection enabled the School’s involvement in Another Country to link to a RSC major year long festival, The Complete Works. Schools across the county performed in Warwickshire’s Mini Complete Works, with Great Alne Primary School performing at The Bridge House Theatre, Warwick.
Artists Charlie Dark and Perveen Chohan worked with 30 children in Years 5 and 6, leading a range of activities culminating in a performance involving all 30 children.
Perveen Chohan focused on mixed media art activities to create the theatrical environment, designing and developing a range of props including masks, butterflies, fairy wings and giant spell books.
Charlie Dark worked with a group of children exploring moral issues in the plays and creative approaches to poetry, sound and music, encouraging children to consider new approaches to incorporating words in poetry, and music composition.
Trevor Mathison provided images and sounds collected during his residency in the village, which were an integral part of the performance.
‘It broadened their horizons extended their thinking about and understanding of language. They got to think in completely new ways about words, how words are linked with sound and when sound becomes music.’ Teacher, Great Alne Primary School
‘There is no doubt in my mind that the experience of working with Charlie was a formative experience that would have helped shape children’s views and perceptions about cultural diversity….There was a strong sense of them accepting difference and seeing that we are all really the same. So I believe it must have challenged any stereotypes they did have about young, urban black men. This exposure is absolutely vital for them. It’s something we just can’t provide on our own.’ Head Teacher, Great Alne Primary School