Pupils - Drama
Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre
Greenwich and Lewisham's Young People's Theatre (www.gypt.co.uk) is a drama and education group that has worked with Sage schools as part of the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. One summer term it ran some very successful drama workshops for 8-11 year olds, involving pupils from Torridon Juniors, Rushey Green and Forster Park. The workshops developed the children's drama skills and teamwork, as well as improving concentration and listening skills and building up confidence.
GYPT also toured secondary schools with 'Inside Out', a participatory play that explored the relationship of refugees and asylum seekers to established communities. Work had previously been done around this play in Sage primary schools and it was extremely successful and popular. It was a powerful and challenging piece of theatre that followed the story of two young 'new arrivals' as they tried to make a life for themselves in London. The audience was actively involved in exploring the impact of media coverage on people who are forced to flee their own country and seek asylum in Britain. It encouraged young people to think through this important issue for contemporary Britain, as well as wider issues around inclusion and difference.
'Inside Out' then fed into a peer education programme, where a number of young people from the schools involved took part in evening drama sessions and rehearsals, leading to a week of touring, performing to around 200 other young people per show. Through this project drama was used as a means to develop communication skills, self esteem, confidence and social interaction. It also enabled pupils from different schools and backgrounds to mix and work together.