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On Tuesday afternoons all the temporary co-workers get together and have a class that is purely aimed at us.
It’s the only time in the week we are not with our children and it gives us a chance to do something completely different. We normally have topics such as Syndromes and disabilities, religious life of the community, Anthroposophy ect. All things that allow us to understand the principals of life in the community. But this term we decided it was time to work on team building. Because in Camphill there is not much time for us young co-workers to bond and interact without the huge responsibility of our children. so our subject this half-term was Performance Studies! We had a little over 4 weeks to get together something of performance standard. And we took on the huge project of The Lion King. I knew this would be a huge task and having less than 5 weeks and no script it was going to be a gamble weather it would work. It took three days to re-write and edit the script so that we didn’t have a carbon copy of the lengthy rather cheesy Disney version (it was quite the opposite) and then one week to learn lines. Over half term I sent around threats that if people didn’t learn their lines the play wasn’t going to happen. And to my surprise the Tuesday after half term everyone had their lines learnt. Next came the acting. We whizzed through the basics of drama (how to build characters, pace, volume distance, staging etc) and then got down to solid rehearsal. What was moving to see was that we had decided this performance was going to be a gift for the children from the co-workers, and the co-workers really honored that aim. We must have had a group rehearsing in the hall almost every rest hour and every evening, and as you can imagine in Camphill co-worker time off is very limited but it is due to the dedication of the cast and everyone involved that we managed to pull it all together. We literally molded these characters as if it where from clay and it was magic to see the actors gradually grow into their parts.
Let’s not forget the Music which Toko directed and co-coordinated, the Dance/ movement intro. Karleen choreographed, and the lighting and make up from Thelma and Natasha. It was a group effort which brought this production to the stage. And the performance was the cream on the cake. Every one did so well!
If I just think back to our first rehearsals and the sleepless nights I was having doubting it would ever be watch able and then seeing these characters brought to life onstage in front of the children. it was more than I have envisaged . The reaction of the children was what made it worth while for us all. And what’s more If you observe the co-workers now there is a new kind of unity among us. I have been so nice to work as a co-worker with the co-workers and bring together a project as a group.
To have not needed guidance from any one but each other, and to have the trust from the community that we could manage. Now that’s something invaluable.
I would just like to add in here a BIG THANK YOU to the maintenance team they really risked life and limb to get those black outs put up. I was scared witless when I watched them going up those ladders! Thank you!
so anyway the summary of the whole experience is. It was hard work, dedication, long hours but a lot of fun and very worth while!
On behalf of the cast I would like to say a big: ROOOAARRRRR! HA he HA HA he he! Umbanana squashed banana! |
