I'd call that a win...

This week has been jam packed with all sorts of loveliness so I will make up for last week's blog brevity with something a little more insightful.

Last weekend saw the culmination of my latest partnership efforts with West Yorkshire Theatre Dance Centre as we celebrated our final performance of Once Upon a Fairytale.  There was so much to be proud of – not least the enormous amount of collaboration between the dance school – it’s teachers and choreographers and costume makers  – the students, their parents (many of whom chaperoned in addition to transporting and sorting costumes) and supporters – the crew at the theatre – and of course the YTYT input as writer, director and technical co-ordination…with the brilliant Amy Winder on follow spot

In total over 350 young people aged between 3 and 18 performed in the show over the three performances.  It was a testament to what can be achieved when people have a common goal. The payoff was we made something truly beautiful, something to be proud of, something that will stay with everyone who was involved for many years to come.  For me it was the end of an era…my little girl who has been dancing since she could walk pretty much performed in her last major dance production…how fleeting childhood is…for any dance mum reading this – soak up every minute – it’s gone in a flash.

Now, onto my midweek highlight – Kings Oak Primary School performance of their brand new plays – written by them with a little help from me.  This project has been a joyful adventure – an investigation as to whether the process of making a production can improve year 3 and 4 boys writing.  I started working with the school last year and this week they finally got to share with their parents what they had made.  It’s fair to say that the arts aren’t a priority for many of the families in the area but over 200 people came to support their young people.  The performances weren’t necessarily the smoothest I’ve been involved with but they had heart and guts and I was very proud of every child involved.  There were 2 lessons I was reminded of in the two days of this week that we staged the performances – the first how little is in our control – heating malfunctions meant we had to cancel one performances and absences made cast changes necessary for each performance…and how much can be achieved with a little bit of inspiration and faith.  Those children excelled everyone’s expectations to achieve brilliant things…  

For my finale I shall take you to Switzerland for that is where I am as I type this blog…I am having a ball teaching 13 students at the Zurich Comedy Club how to direct.  The cultural richness of my group is dizzying – there are people from England, America, Germany, Russia, Italy as well as Switzerland itself…it’s fascinating seeing how these cultural backgrounds impact on the way people carry themselves through life and how the making of theatre can combine them in a common goal.  We’ve had so many discussions about what it is to be a good director – lots of talk about vision, communication, flexibility, problem solving…but the thing that comes across more strongly than anything is the passion everyone has to be involved in creative journeys to the extent that they juggle very busy lives to make sure that it is a significant part of their life.  Their reward for doing so is tangible – this investment in creativity energises them, sustains them, inspires them, comforts them and moreover provides a sense of achievement and purpose on a daily basis.

In one week of creative endeavours I got to witness the business of making theatre doing wonderful things in Wakefield, in Barnsley and in Zurich…I’d call that a win…