So, Easter is upon us. I can't say I am itching to get back to work as I sit in my pyjamas and contemplate the day.
This has been a long term and everyone, staff and students have been crawling to Easter. The work grows in intensity in these last few months culminating in performances and assessment preparation. The students are expected to take a lot in in a short amount of time. The results are exciting, innovative and extremely educational, but Easter works as a time for consolidation. Giving the mind and body a rest to fully realise the amount we have all learnt since Christmas.
So, what have I learned?? Well, I have quickly learnt that I don't feel like the 'new girl' anymore. I have adapted to my new life at St Mary's with alarming pace. The speed of the work means you always move forward or risk being left behind. Christmas seems like an age ago, when I still felt naive and in awe of the place. Now I feel settled, with a task and goal and have already gone about achieveing lots of it.
This term has seen my directorial debut at St Mary's of Arabian Nights and this was generally succesful. In the aftermath it has meant I have closer links with he third year students, which has proven very beneficial and means I feel more ingratiatied. Third Years are now coming to me for advice about Careers and courses which has been great.
There have also been a range of performances I have seen or been part of. 3 Birds Alighting on a Field and Junkyard Gods as well as Drama Society shows 4:48 Psychosis and The Shape of Clouds. I didn't get to see Psychosis due to work commitments but heard good things about the show, and was very impressed by the Physical Theatre Piece created by Laura Watson and her team. The Drama Society has seen a real flourish this term and continues to grow.
Careers wise we have had a real interest in Careers events and opportunities at St Mary's. This began with a Creative Industries Forum in conjunction with Media, and this included people form all areas of production. Most relevantly included 'Break a Leg' Arts Management which the 3rd years who attended now have good links with.
The discussion with Sarah Esdaile, professional director was a refreshing and interesting look at the world of the Arts and the students who attended got a lot from the event. I'm hoping to organise even more of these over the coming term and hope to see attendance grow.
After Easter, the Ham House 400th birthday project will begin to take over my life and I will be subsumed in a World of community choirs and logistics. No doubt there will be much more to write about in the coming term!
Happy Easter!!!
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