Foundation Learning/SEND students performed a fantastic stage production of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book in the College’s ACT theatre prior to the Christmas break. They were brilliantly supported by our BTEC Production Arts/Technical Theatre students with the show’s production, stage management, recordings and sound, all managed by second year student Lily Warnes, and overseen by Theatre Production Manager, Ian Tyrell, and his crew.
The production was a truly collaborative cross-College event with face paint designs supplied by BTEC Production Arts (Make Up) students as part of an assessment led by tutor Sian Stone, with a team of Foundation Learning/SEND support workers painting the faces. We have discovered some very good make up girls in the team!
Foundation Learning/SEND Lecturer, Keith Mellor, explained how the production was pulled together: “The cast were all students on the Foundation Learning/SEND course where we have a group bubble not dissimilar from a primary model. In other words, if a student feels unwell or under the weather they stay at home. If one of us gets Covid then we all must isolate. Thankfully, we have had no positive cases to date.
“We were not allowed to invite any family members because of social distancing rules so we videoed the performance and posted it on YouTube with a private link to parents and friends. We did invite the Exams office and some staff from the Performing Arts team. They clapped and cheered throughout the performance which the students really appreciated.
“We had one dress rehearsal but we rehearsed one morning a week from September in the Arena Dance Studio, with the last two weeks of rehearsal in the ACT theatre.
“The jungle set was made by the students on the 11th floor as part of their art and craft sessions. This was then taken to ACT and put together by the students with help from the Production Arts students.”
Student, Zahrah Gouhar who played the role of Mowgli, said it was the best feeling she had ever had, that the show was brilliant - and we didn’t make any mistakes!
Owen Hughes, who played Shere Kahn said: “Awesome! Wow, that was so cool. I really enjoyed performing on stage.”
Parents, Mark and Elaine Harrison, said: “We just wanted to say that we’ve just watched the show and what a show it was!! Brilliant - the best one so far - it just gets better every year. A big thank you to both of you and everybody else involved. You can see just by watching it how happy Jodie is.”
Nadine from the Exams office said: “We loved it, amazing as always! Everyone was brilliant! You must have all worked really hard. Thank you so much for inviting us.”
Another parent, Sharon Taylor, said: “That was superb! Thank you for creating it all! Wonderful! Marvellous!”
