Community Production with schools in the Wimbledon ISSP

King’s pupils and students from eight different partnership schools took part in the community production, The Ancient Mariner, in the Collyer Hall Theatre.

This was the culmination of an ambitious two-term collaboration. Pupils from the schools formed a company of over 150 actors, singers, musicians, composers and backstage technicians. They were supported by fabulous props and puppets, also made by artists and engineers from King’s and Bond Primary school.

Together they staged a memorable, creative, funny and moving take on Coleridge’s poem The Rime of The Ancient Mariner, delivering in a vibrant, heart-warming way its important message of respecting nature.

It was clear that all on stage had loved every minute of the show and pupils spoke about gaining a great deal during the rehearsal process in leadership, empathy and confidence.

Aims

To provide a focus and a showcase for the creative projects engaged in by King’s pupils and their counterparts in local schools.

To bring drama, music and art departments at our schools together and to share best practice. 

To share our staff's expertise and our facilities with the local community.

To give our pupils and their counterparts at maintained schools the opportunity to work with a professional theatre director.

The critical factors for success are: the support of all the schools and their staff, trust built up over time, the use of timetabled time every Friday, a gifted and sympathetic director, a storyline that lends itself to different schools contributing their own sections to it. Beneficiaries are the pupils and staff and their parents, who attend the production.

Background

This project grew out of an existing annual showcase for joint creative projects with maintained schools. The catalyst for transforming this into a community production was provided by the employment of a director in residence in 2014.

Resources

The production needs the willingness of all the schools to provide timetabled time and staff and the availability of rehearsal spaces and a large enough venue.

Both teaching and non-teaching staff (porters, the theatre manager) are involved. All teaching staff are involved every Friday afternoon for two terms and at the dress rehearsal and performance.

The school provides a budget, which is generously supplemented by our parent-teacher association, known as the Friends of King’s.

Frequency

Ongoing, every Friday + extra rehearsal times. This is an annual event in the school calendar.