Here is what the participants of Sailing to Britain thought about the workshops:
Q. How has this year differed from last year?
“I’ve met new people”
“More people and work with ropes”
“It has been technically more challenging. More bonding.”
“More people, bigger space, more physical movement and vocal skills used.”
“The intensity”
“Less research, more physical work.”
“Less words, used more vocals.”
“We’ve moved quicker.”
Q. What is the most powerful information you learned about Lascars and why?
“They were treated unfairly.”
“That they were different types of exotic people.”
“How they were treated.”
“That they were still being ignored by Government in the late 1950’s.”
“The conditions they lived in as it differs hugely from my lifestyle.”
“I didn't know anything about Lascars at all and now I know that they were taken from their countries and used as slaves”
“How they were treated. Gives me more headway on how to approach them as characters.”
“Their existence, as I have not known prior to taking part in this project.”
“Treated really badly.”
“They were bullied.”
“That they were paid a minimum wage because they were not white.”
“The cooks were Christian.”
“Their lifestyle - it's interesting.”
“I didn't know who they were but now I do.”
“The conditions they lived in and how hard they worked.”
Q. What new skills have you learned through the project?
“Capoeira”
“Theatre skills”
“About how to create your character”
“More confidence, projecting my voice, more knowledge ofLascars, body language, movement across the stage, facial expression, singing”
“To do a strong piece of performance without much speech”
“Voice techniques, stage presence, rope climbing, yoga, capoeira”
“Aerial skills - being lifted / lifting safely”
“Learnt Capoeira and rope climbing”
“Now I know who Lascars was. I gained experience on climbing the ropes. And I gained more experience in physical theatre”
“Patience, exerting patience”
“Interpersonal skills gained which would be beneficial in the future”
“More focused”
“I have improved my voice”
“I used to corpse all the time but now I don't so much”
“Words in different languages”
“Lots: Capoeira, rope climbing, singing etc.”
“Salute to the Sun, Bengali version of Do, Re, Me, and singing skills”
Q. Have you learned anything new about yourself?
“That I am a good actor”
“I can sing in tune”
“That I'm more confident”
I can't really climb ropes!”
"I've learned to trust others when being lifted”
“I can act using movement and song and not so much lines”
Q. What have you enjoyed most about Sailing to Britain?
“Different views and directions”
“Meeting new people”
“Meeting new people and performing”
“The people, games, new skills”
“The bonding between the team and the friendships made”
“The lifting / character exercises with Gavin”
“Meeting new people”
That we can use ropes in many different ways”
“Physical and vocal exploration”
“Everything, including the performance, the participants, the professional director”
“New friends”
“Being posh”
“Finding new friends and getting a new experience”
“Working as a group”
“The cast”
“Creating our scenes”
“Meeting new people and acting with them”
Q.
What would you like the project to involve next year?
“Singing and dancing”
“An after party or celebration as a goodbye”
“A lot more rope climbing”
“More aerial work”
“More exploring London, that was amazing!”
“Outdoors performance”
“More energetic exercises”
“Perhaps more special effects”
More dialogue”
“More Lascars”
“Dance”
Q. What would you tell a friend about Sailing to Britain?
"It's a summer project for 2 weeks for people aged 14 - 22 years who focus on a group of people called the Lascars and do a performance about them at the end of the 2 weeks.”
"It's an unexpected experience” “That it's a good experience”
“It's free and something to enjoy and get good advice and meet new amazing people.”
“Join it!”
“It was an experience for sure”
“That he should try to get involved because he would get an amazing experience”
“It has been a good experience”
That it's a great way to improve your acting skills”
“It’s a good experience”
“It's awesome!”
“It was amazing!”
