Each year, at the end of the Autumn term, the full graduating cohorts over three courses take part in this unique project at Drama Studio London as part of their UWL degree. It’s a huge undertaking and this past season took our students to nine primary schools and there were five performances in care and community setting including: The Alzheimer’s Society Southwark, Nunhead Green Community Centre, Time & Talent in Rotherhithe and Bluegrove House Care Home
There were eight carefully pitched shows with 62 performances in schools alone, with an audience total of over 1000 children!
The cast of The Fir Tree from our BA Acting 2024 Cohort
These touring shows are often the first experience of theatre for many of the children and we take great pride in how our performances foster a sense of community. Being face to face with performers enables a direct and genuine communication and it’s been shown to build speech and language as well as social skills in children. Our actors always feel encouraged and valued in the process. So there’s certainly a lot going on behind the storytelling!
DSL Tutor/Director Kevin Tomlinson and the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk from our MFA and MA Acting 2024 Cohorts
Thank you to Drama Studio London for putting on a great show,
the children got to experience a wonderful example of the magic of theatre.
(Gifford Primary)
Drama Studio London has been delivering seasonal shows to the local and wider community for many years and graduates look back fondly on their part in it. The privilege of being in front of a first-time audience is something our students treasure.
It’s also proved to be an excellent preparation for future work as some of our graduates can attest. This season, two DSL alumni, Jon Cobb and Charlotte Gascoyne were in the cast of Stick Man in the West End. And 2005 DSL graduates Rachel McPhee and Robert K. Benson, husband and wife team, brought Panto to New York with Sleeping Beauty back in December on the Lower East Side.
2005 DSL graduates Rachel McPhee and Robert K. Benson
Pantomimes and seasonal performances are a fun and inclusive way to access the arts and we’re already looking forward to gearing up for the 2024 shows.
If you want to know more about outreach activities at DSL or if you are a teacher or group facilitator with a group that might be interested in what we do, please get in touch to talk about what we can offer.
Further reading:
For information about Drama Studio London’s Seasonal Tour, you can go to Instagram Posts here, here and here or on our website.
Read some feedback from one of the schools on Facebook here and here.
UWL website.