It wasn’t all Grimm: Hansel & Gretel
by Kathryn Norton-Smith, Director of Drama
A company of Year 8s from Dulwich College and Harris Academy South Norwood came together to form a scratch company and create a piece of theatre in two days. The collaboration afforded pupils from the two schools the opportunity to develop their creativity and ignite friendship within the local community. Pupils were excited by exploring two different rehearsal spaces at Dulwich and at Harris Academy, and throughout their two days of workshops and rehearsal, took ownership of Kneehigh’s quirky adaptation of the well-known Grimm fable, Hansel and Gretel . They explored many different drama skills, including physical theatre, choral work, puppetry and characterisation and created some very impressive set pieces. Elliot Johnson, Year 8: “I really enjoyed taking part in the collaboration project, Hansel and Gretel with Harris Academy South Norwood. We got to meet new people and make new friends. We only had two days before going onto the stage and performing it for real. All the audience members told us that we did very well!”
Monty Hoad, Year 8: “ I really enjoyed the entire process of the Hansel and Gretel project. I found the play-making progress enthralling, gradually piecing everything together and building up to create something I thought was really brilliant. The incredible scenery with suspended pink and white candy canes alongside angular and twisted cut-out branches and soundscape really helped set the mood. The rabbits were a key part as they narrated the story with excellent use of puppetry. Our tale was darker than the more familiar Hansel and Gretel. It was also really fun to work with other people from another school and gradually get to know one another.” ◎ new experiences together” Mark Wignall, Teacher of Drama and Theatre Studies “The venture proved to be a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to learn and share
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