Monday. 6.25 a.m. Out and about bright and early as usual. Alfie barked at me when I was getting myself organized in the bathroom.
7.45 p.m. I went to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre this afternoon. I took the cake tin I'd bought in Sainsbury's the other day, and it had all the scones I'd made in it.
On leaving Monday Club, and driving out of Wallinger Drive towards the junction with Chaffron Way, I couldn't but notice orange cones in the road and a police car and other vehicles across the road. As I approached to turn onto Chaffron Way, it was clear that there had been quite a nasty traffic accident, with one car with a side torn out and another in the main carriageway. In fact, that vehicle was blocking half of the road and I had to maneuver around it to get into the correct lane. Quite a heavy police and ambulance presence. I'm not certain how the incident happened, but it might have been because someone was turning out of Wallinger Drive onto Chaffron Way. It's not always such a good idea to turn right from these junctions, and it's so much easier and safer to turn left and then go to the next roundabout and come right around and face back onto the carriageway, which is what I do when I'm coming out of Strudwick Drive and actually intending to turn right. Just a short distance to the roundabout near Eaglestone and come back round and back onto Chaffron Way.
Wednesday. 5.20 a.m. So, where did Tuesday go? I just didn't seem to have time to write anything about it here. Give me time and I will attempt to write something.
I was at Camphill as usual on Tuesday. Not all the guys were there. I think some had covid or had high blood sugar levels because of diabetes. The children who came from Shenley Brook End Upper School came back, and the chairs were put into the usual circle, which is when we checked in so that the theatre workshop gang and the children could introduce themselves again.
Terrie began by doing voice and body warm-ups. The sort of thing I remember is the actors I worked with when I worked in stage management and done before each performance of a play. I think the children found this activity totally strange, and it looked to me as if they were somewhat uncomfortable with it.
It was more than clear from their body language that the children did not feel comfortable, unsure of what they were going to do. Terrie, the workshop leader, started off which got the children more comfortable, and we all introduced ourselves, as a sort of icebreaker. Then we did the infamous EastEnders game. It has taken me quite a while to get the hang of this game, as it has all sorts of rules.
The game is played with the group standing in a circle. You need space between each player. (If you know the BBC soap, EastEnders, it helps, but if you don't, it doesn't matter. It's set in the East End of London, and the characters speak in a Cockney accent, Estuary English etc. Also, various plot points, character characteristics etc.) It starts off with someone in the team shooting 'Oy!' and facing one way so that the next person can pass on the 'Oy!' (If you know the way they speak in EastEnders, the inflexion of the voice and the severity, you will appreciate this.) If someone in the circle decides not to continue in the direction of the 'Oy!' then they face in the other direction and shout 'Leave it Arrght!' Then someone in the circle faces another person in the circle and shouts 'You ain't my muvver' and the other person returns with 'Oh yes I am!' and they circle each other. When someone shouts 'Get a-a-ght of my pub!' everyone in the circle moves and ends up sitting on the opposite side to where they started. There are other rules which I've forgotten, but it certainly gets things going and is quite a lot of fun.
I think the children were rather uncomfortable with playing this game. Most of them sat with their arms crossed or had a look of total disbelief on their faces, although a couple did eventually join in, only to vaguely 'get' the game. It must have been quite daunting if you hadn't worked in the theatre group or knew what sort of things go on in it, especially these warm-ups.
Terrie then explained that the group was making silent movies. A few weeks ago a trial film was made with some of the group and this was shown on the cinema screen. Terrie wanted the children to have a go at creating their own similar film and to devise something that could then be videoed. They went downstairs to the wardrobe room and selected costumes that they could wear and then help develop characters and a storyline for a film.
I went off for a tea break with the theatre workshop group, whilst the children remained on stage and behind the curtains, rehearsing their silent film. When we came back, they showed us what they'd done, and it was really hilarious. It was quite amazing how these children changed, from being very self-conscious and uncomfortable in the theatre workshop, but left on their own, they soon managed to find something they were completely at ease with. Their piece of theatre was videoed and will be edited together to create a whole film which they will take back to their school.
After Lunch, Terrie told the theatre gang during check-in that she had got feedback from the teacher who had bought the children to Camphill. Apparently, they are some of the most disruptive children in the school, and some of them find being in a classroom situation very difficult. She said that she had never seen them transformed by working in the theatre workshop. This information was so encouraging and quite brilliant. The theatre workshop group were so good when the children were in the theatre, very friendly, and she thanked them for being so supportive of the children. The children wanted to have a copy of the silent film so that they could make their own. So, it seemed as if the whole morning was a success and the children got something rewarding out of their experience. They left at midday, just as we were going off for our lunch break.
After lunch, we had a long check-in, basically, because there wasn't one earlier, because things hotted up when the school children arrived. The other teams making silent movies got on with either rehearsing or doing other things. I think the 'pirates' team didn't do much because most of the team were away, some on holiday, but my group, the 'time-travelling' film team, went downstairs to the wardrobe department to sort out our costumes. I have a suit jacket which I got in the Red Cross shop in Stony Stratford a few weeks ago, but I couldn't find matching trousers, but Terrie pointed out that we were filming in black and white, so their colour or even whether they matched, wouldn't matter.
The day ended when we all met up back in the theatre and everyone got a chance to mention what part of the day they enjoyed most I said it was seeing what the children had produced with their film idea. Yet again, another good day was had by all.
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