Congratulations - Arts Award success!

The team at TARA are delighted to congratulate Ross Binfield, Raychell Mack, Saif Beejay, Hannah Phillips and Hannah Brennan on being awarded a Bronze ARTS AWARD for their contribution to and participation in SAILING TO BRITAIN this year.

The cast....

This year's SAILING TO BRITAIN company of young people included:
Tamara Abedi, Olayemi Ademosu, Tok Aofolaju, Para Baskaran, Saif Beejay, Ross Binfield, Hannah Brennan, Herbie Garmus, Frank Holsgrove, Joanna McGibbon, Oisin McManus-O'Murchu, Raychell Mack, Nicky Mahandru, Nicola Munns, Daniel Ngomi, VV Nyaba, Hannah Phillips & Araba Quashie

They all did a great job telling the Lascar's Story - the whole team would like to say "thanks - hope to see you on board for the next installment!"


TARA's SAILING TO BRITAIN team 2010 were:
Jules Tipton (Project Director); Sarah Clews (Participation Officer); Clare Spillman (Production Stage Manager); Filiz Ozcan (Assistant Director); Gavin Marshall (Aerial/Movement Choreographer); Dina Mousawi (Aerial Performer); Pauline Nakirya (Performer); Sohini Alam (Musician); Dilu Hossain (Musician); Nicholas McInerny (Playwright)

Please keep checking the blog for future updates and news of the project.

What do the participants think?

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!”

Day 10: Showtime!

Friday 6th August 2010 was the tenth and final day of the Sailing to Britain workshop. Where did the 10 days go?

Friday was a relentless, hard working day, with the participants performing the show no less than 4 times: Technical Rehearsal, Stagger through, Dress Rehearsal and Performance!

We still found time for a little party in the Green Room, with lots of lovely things to eat - most impressive of all was Hannah P's chocolate cake and brownies! Thanks Hannah! Pancakes last year, chocolate cake this year. What will she make in 2011?

The final performance at 7.30pm was excellent, with a spell bound audience! The entire team "upped their game" and gave fantastic performances. The audience liked it so much they didn't want to leave!

Thank you to everyone for a fantastic 2 weeks, and a brilliant performance! Well done!

Day 9: Nearly there!

Thursday 5th August was the ninth day of the Sailing to Britain workshop, and the penultimate day. There was a definite feeling throughout the day that the tension and anticipation of the show was building in everyone involved.

The participants showed a tremendous amount of focus, as they pieced together the entire show, making sure that they knew what went where.

Feedback at the end of the day was very positive, with everyone feeling a lot had been achieved and that the show would be a success the next day.

Day 8: Not waving but drowning

Following on from the amazing aerial and characterisation work the Sailing to Britain participants have already created, on Wednesday 4th August they worked with Gavin to create a drowning scene, using aerial silks. The young people had some great ideas - very creative!

Wednesday also saw the creation of interesting scenes, telling the stories of the various characters onboard the ship. There are a really diverse group of people!

The show really started to take shape, and all the participants commented that they could see how all their work was going to fit together.

Day 7: Arts Award

During the Sailing to Britain workshop, 5 participants are undertaking their Bronze Arts Award. This is a nationally recognised qualification which allows young people to share their existing skills, participate in the arts, attend arts events, and research their arts heroes and heroines. This the first time TARA has run the award.

This involves a lot of work, and the young people involved have really been going the extra mile to make sure they not only get all their arts award work done, but also participate fully in the rehearsal process! A big thank you to the 5 of you for your dedication!

It is anticipated that all the young people involved in Sailing to Britain will be able to take part in the Arts Award over the next 2 years.

More information on the Arts Award can be found at: www.artsaward.org.uk