The Workshops

As I am the only person who is working with a puppet, I thought it would be a good idea to have my 15 minute workshop about puppeteering and making puppets. During this year in Community Arts we had a term of making puppets and puppeteering, so as I've had some experience in this area, I thought it would be something different to show our client group. 

I would like to bring either the real puppet of Schnitzel or the prototype (or preferably both), so the client group can have a close up view of what I used in the actual show.

Schedule:

Introduction: 2 minutes
- Introduce what we will be doing today. 

Showing Schnitzel: 5 minutes
- Show the group Schnitzel the puppet

- Show them how to manoeuvre it and how to make him sit and move the head

The Group and Schnitzel: 6 minutes
- Allow some individuals to come up and have a go at manoeuvring Schnitzel

Discussion: 2 minutes
- Ask the client group what they thought the reason of Schnitzel was, and if they enjoyed his stage presence.

 

Monday 8th July:

Today was the first of my two workshops. This one I did at Elmwood Junior School, with Harrison, Georgia, Annabelle, Connor and Faith. Until today, we didn't know until today that Annabelle would be in our group, so now we had 6 people presenting an hour workshop. When I was waiting for the rest of my group, I was rather anxious.

To be honest, we hadn't planned exactly what we were going to be doing. I wanted to introduce us as a group, and because I'm in CAP, I thought it would be best if I opened with the warm up game, which was the Hamelin version of 'Zip, Zap, Bong'. In CAP strand, we're always told to begin with something simple and then add on other things, which is why I began with sending round 'RATS'. The first time this got sent around the some of the children didn't seem that into it, so I said 'That was good everyone, but I know that we can do better'. So when I passed it around the second time, everyone was more energised. After this second time, I added on the 'EEK!' and I offered to the class if anyone wanted to start, thus giving them a sense of empowerment. Some of the children weren't speaking very loudly so Harrison said that everyone should scream as loudly as they can. In my opinion this was a very bad idea, especially as there was a rehearsal for the school musical right next to us. I just think that getting young children to scream at the top of their lungs isn't something you want in a workshop, particularly as they will all have very high pitched screams. Having said that, it did make them more energetic, and we got through the warm up better, as we also added in the 'rat catcher' movement. After the warm up I handed over to Harrison whose section was about becoming characters in still images. I thought he presented it clearly even if some of the children were talking during what he was saying, however I got to them and told them to focus. After Harrison's section, it was Connor's part. I thought he did the best presenting out of the six of us, because he had a lot of energy which I think was reflected in how the children responded to him. I thought it was clever how he linked the first thing he did - getting everyone to say "Lets rid this town of rats" - to the last, where we were in frozen images of a towns person, and how we had to use what we were feeling as the character to say the sentence. Georgia's workshop idea involved getting into groups and producing still images. I didn't realise we had to create three images, so it was my fault that my group only created one. By this point we were beginning to run out of time, so I assumed I would be leading the end part, however Georgia said she was passing over to Annabelle. However Tim was in the room so he said that I should get the puppet ready. I didn't know what Annabelle was doing in her section as I was busy with the cat. Once she was done everyone sat in a circle and I walked around the inside of the circle so the children could get a closer look at the puppet. One boy asked what it was made out of, so I answered it but to the whole class. Someone else asked how long it took to make and if I made it. While I was doing this, I think the rest of my group were asking the children about props and how they can enhance a show. Overall, I believe that our workshop went very well. We spoke clearly, answered any questions, and got on with what we were meant to be doing. I think for next time, my group need to be aware of the time, as we ran over by about ten minutes, but apart from that, I'm very proud of what my group has achieved.   

Friday 12th July:

Today I was at Parish Church Junior school. Today was also the last time I got to use Schnitzel, and luckily Tim brought him along. From Monday, I'd just assumed Tim thought I would want it again for Friday, however that did not seem to be the case. We arrived at the school early, and we realised Tim and Rob weren't there (even though this was at about 09.30), Louie (who had now joined our group), Callum, and Chloe, were going to teach the children a section from the rat dance, however they said they didn't have the music, and that Tim was bringing it. It was then that I realised that I hadn't actually stated that I was using Schnitzel again and so I had to communicate this to Tim, which resulted them in coming slightly later. We were ushered into the main school hall and were told to wait until the teacher came. As it turned out, the teacher had forgotten that we were coming and subsequently the children didn't know either, and when they found out, became very excited.

Compared to my group on Monday, these children were much more talkative, even though both groups were made up of Year 5 students. This may have been because they did not know we were coming and so they were happy that they got to get out of their P.E. lesson. When we introduced ourselves, one of the children knew that Dan was the King Rat. Callum began with an activity which involved getting the children to create a still images of the Rats and the Towns People. Some of the boys in my group kept shouting at each other because they couldn't decide who was going to be the King. I kept telling them to be quiet and focus on the task at hand, which in the end they did, but it took longer than I thought it would. The next section was the dance section. I must admit, even I was looking forward to learning a section of the Rat dance, and the children were too. I suppose it was lucky that they had already changed for a P.E. lesson, as this meant they were able to move about more freely. I thought the dancers taught it well, as they kept adding something new, and going back over the dance from the beginning. They also gave the kids a chance to get into their own groups of five. Now, unlike on Monday's session, where Georgia counted out who was going into what group, Chloe just said for the children to divide themselves. Once this had happened, me and Callum noticed that two boys were not in a group, and when we tried splitting them up, the group who created the 'Ratham Style' dance, said they didn't want the boys in their group, and another group said they wanted one but not the other. I suggested that they could form a group with us (as in me, Dan and Callum), but I don't think anyone heard what I had said.... Once the boys had been put into groups, the task was for their groups to create a little improvised beginning section. When I began working with an all girl group, they were trying to do lifts. I suggested not to do this, unless both people involved were alright to do it. However, once I'd said that, I realised that they could still hurt themselves and that it would probably be my fault if something went wrong, so I told them in the end to not lift and swing people around. Alice, who arrived late, took over and became very strict with they children. She got them to do some tongue twisters, and played the Hamelin game with them, which they enjoyed. Then it was my turn. Like before, I got them to sit in a circle and I walked around to each child so they could interact with Schnitzel and touch him. One child ask me if I was the one who was making all the cat sounds, and when I said yes, a lot of them couldn't believe it. One boy said he thought it was a tape recording. It surprised me how much they didn't know it wasn't a real cat sound. I was very proud by these comments because it showed that I had given a very convincing performance. Once my section was completed and all questions had been answered, we played the rat music again and everyone had a dance around, which was a very good way to end the session. When the children were gone I was about to put Schnitzel away, when all of a sudden they came rushing back in with paper and pens asking for all our autographs!

In my opinion, I felt that the Monday session was better than the Friday session. I think because the children at Elmwood were so well behaved, I expected the group on Friday to be the same, so I wasn't too prepared for how loud they were going to be. However, both workshops went well, and I think both of my teams did really well.