Exodus Festival and SEMA Summer Project

Well, it's been busy again since I last posted - so that's why it's taken so long!

The Exodus Festival was a good experience, because it was a totally different way of working. I would normally work with a large group, trying to energise them, get them to know each other and warm up before we did a practical session. However, on 2nd August, I was there as a support for Mok Bukuakow, our 'PlAAy' Residency artist, helping with any language needs, as well as filling in monitoring and feedback forms, so I was able to observe. We only had three people at a time for our session, sitting opposite us and talking about childhood toys, then drawing and /or making them out of clay. It was a much quieter, more reflective experience than my drama workshops. There were some similarities in that I was able, by gentle questioning, to encourage people to speak and become more confident. People (especially young people and adults) are constantly worried that their stories are not interesting enough, but, after showing a genuine interest in description, memory, etc, they began to enjoy talking, sketching and modelling. The younger children tended to be much more open, enjoying the experience of the modelling, although one or two didn't like the wet feel and the residue it left on their hands.

The SEMA Summer Project was a complete contrast; older Primary and lower Secondary School pupils who come from refugee /asylum seeking families are given learning support via SEMA. This year, a two day project was provided for those who were able to attend, with activities such as drumming, art and craft, surveys and two drama sessions from Action Factory, through me. As they were fairly short sessions, we had to use fairly simple techniques - improvisation and physical creation of objects and stories. The end results were really creative, though. We had a story about a washing machine that used all the river and drained the forest and how this was solved; a magical bird who brought a king back to life and a group who had to overcome amazing obstacles to reach a party in a palace.

Language barriers were occasionally an issue, but the good humour of the group and sensitivity of the workers helped overcome this and there was a really positive reaction to the work. I am keen to extend work with this group in the future, involving other art forms as well as drama.

Photo Mok Buakaow and participant.