Thursday was an absolutely amazing day. Our group along with a group of teachers from UC Davis also studying at The Globe boarded a comfy coach and headed out of London to Surrey, to a small school called Gosden House. Gosden House is a state funded public school for students with special needs (Or as their sign says in the picture, for students who need something special. How awesome is that!). They have 125 students with Autism, Downs Syndrome, and a handful of other special needs. The Globe has been partnering with the school for the past 6 years working with the students and teachers to put on Shakespearian plays. Every student participates and 10 Globe education practitioners go up to Gosden House every Friday for a month and a half and then spend a week in residence at Gosden House towards their end of term culminating in a Shakespearian performance that takes place all over the amazing estate grounds of the school. The teachers help to write the script, using the original Shakespearian text with major cuts and adding in a few bits here and there, the Head Teacher writes music that he performs on his guitar and sings during the performance to help get the story across and every student participates!
This year the students performed Othello. About 400 people from the community come to see the performance parents and friends to the school. I can’t even explain how moving the performance was for the audience. First the excitement of the students is palpable. Yes some are nervous but they all feel that they have accomplished something. Something else I noticed was the parents were so proud to see their children perform. I imagine seeing your child who has these particular difficulties doing something that no one would believe the could do- it must be so joyful. Parents were cheering and crying and laughing. A young woman named Charlotte played Othello’s Father and she spoke to us after the show. 6 years ago when they began the program she was one of the Juliet’s and she was so nervous and scared that she said her line and them burst into tears. Today she can quote more Shakespeare than most people I know and she has forgotten her stage fright. She falls somewhere (I believe) on the Autistic spectrum but to speak to her you would not know it, her confidence and poise have grown dramatically over her years at Gosden House and working with the Globe. She plans to go to college next year and study child care. Of course I am not saying that Shakespeare can cure disabilities! However I have always been interested in Art and Performance Therapy and this seems to be an extremely successful model. And the hard work of the amazing teaching staff at Gosden House change lives of both their students and the student’s care givers.
This year the students performed Othello. About 400 people from the community come to see the performance parents and friends to the school. I can’t even explain how moving the performance was for the audience. First the excitement of the students is palpable. Yes some are nervous but they all feel that they have accomplished something. Something else I noticed was the parents were so proud to see their children perform. I imagine seeing your child who has these particular difficulties doing something that no one would believe the could do- it must be so joyful. Parents were cheering and crying and laughing. A young woman named Charlotte played Othello’s Father and she spoke to us after the show. 6 years ago when they began the program she was one of the Juliet’s and she was so nervous and scared that she said her line and them burst into tears. Today she can quote more Shakespeare than most people I know and she has forgotten her stage fright. She falls somewhere (I believe) on the Autistic spectrum but to speak to her you would not know it, her confidence and poise have grown dramatically over her years at Gosden House and working with the Globe. She plans to go to college next year and study child care. Of course I am not saying that Shakespeare can cure disabilities! However I have always been interested in Art and Performance Therapy and this seems to be an extremely successful model. And the hard work of the amazing teaching staff at Gosden House change lives of both their students and the student’s care givers.
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