Earlier this week our Year 10 and 11 Drama students welcomed Old Woodbridgian and ex Head of School Jamie Saul into School. Jamie, who now has his own theatre company called Brave Mirror, established the business in Bristol where he went to University to read English.
Students took part in a workshop during which Jamie taught adaptation of stories for stage, and Year 11’s James who took part shared this report:
Year 11’s James
This week in the drama department, Jamie Saul, OW and previous Head of School, came and delivered an excellent workshop with his award-winning theatre company Brave Mirror Productions on adapting and devising theatre. The two hour session, based around the story of Peter Pan, could not have been more engaging – it was pumped with energetic activities, fast theatre-making challenges, and collaborative tasks, with the endpoint being a devised small scene made in groups based on the story of Pan and his lost boys.
I left the workshop with bags of theatrical techniques and skills that I am sure all of us will utilise during the GCSE and A level devising process, and beyond. From the idea that a prop’s physical, visual, emotional, and literal meaning can all be used to influence a piece of theatre, to imagining your scene or production’s core message as a character to fully understand the atmosphere you want to create, Brave Mirror’s workshop was a fabulous way to spend a Friday morning. Thank you, Jamie and Tom!
Many thanks also to the Old Woodbridgian Liaison Group for supporting this event.