Monday 14 December 2009

trouble with my final piece for writing styles

i'm finding it really difficult to write this piece...i'll try and have it up in the next few days, i'd really appreciate lots of comments!

thanks all who have already read and commented my pieces. i'm getting round slowly to you all, theres some really great pieces out there.

for anyone who hasn't yet, please feel free to read the two writing styles i'v put up and comment.

sarah c

Tuesday 8 December 2009

note for grace.

hey grace,

have tried commenting on your piece and as it won't let me, i'v decided like others to post it here:

wow! great piece of descriptive writing. as i was reading it i felt just like the girl seating two velvet seats away from you.
The only improvements i think you could make is with small things, like making important words/sentences bold and maybe changing the layout slightly.
On first glances, i didn't realise which show you were writing about.BUT maybe you don't need to mention the title of the piece. As its descriptive, do you feel you need to set up it to begin with by mentioning the title? or do you feel the title is irrelevent?
really beautiful piece.well done grace!

hope you get to read this and it helps.

sarah c

Friday 4 December 2009

writing styles.

i have two of my pieces up now, and had not much feedback.
reading some really beautifully worded pieces!
so much so, that with poeple descriptive pieces in particular that iv read, its drawn me in and made me look into the choosen pieces. danielles descriptive blog on a dance piece featuring music by philip glass is a really enjoyable read! i highly recommend checking it out.

Thursday 3 December 2009

Second piece of the writing styles.

As I realised my mind had wondered, I was thrown back into my whereabouts: a hall. The smell of custard puddings mixed with the air of freshly-polished wooden-floors woke-me-up to a room full of children; 200 eyes exploring my brightly coloured polka-dot dress. Before I could take-in anymore of my surroundings, I jumped into my first position: a lifeless puppet on a shelf in amongst others frozen in toy-like poses. A happy tune started dancing out of the piano and speakers, and as we came to life I felt the glowing-grins of the children’s face light-up our stage.

“The masters gone, now we’re alone. And we can tell you something that is very little known, his powers fade when he’s away. Sometimes he seems to think that we’re just made of wood!”

The words leapt out from my mouth acrobatically into a union of singing toys, signing the phrase with a wooden motion. Darting round the space, our faces big and full of expression, we mimicked Gepetto, our ignorant creator, and how he seems not to notice us four puppets. But wait! We all freeze on stage as someone enters that shouldn’t see us move. Its Gepetto, he’s forgotten his coat. Our eyes so are wide and watering slightly as they can feel the air being pushed into them as the children bounce up-and-down “the puppets are alive! They have your coat! Turn around and look!” A slap-stick sequence ensues with Gepetto conversing with the children and walking around our built-up puppet shape centrally facing the children. We mime him exaggeratedly only when his back is turned. The children’s voices rising with laughter and shouts every time we freeze upon Gepetto turning to inspected us. Just when we can no longer hold our positions, bodies trembling, Gepetto runs off stage and for a few seconds, which felt like hours, everything stops. The children’s mouths gape open, they stare at us. Leaping up and out across every part of our stage we hear them once again laugh and call at us. We sing and sign until finally the first song meets its curtain. I flop over becoming a statue of a doll. The children fall silent once again as a small man step’s forward supporting a purple curly-haired wig. After a few lines of introduction he tells the children of how the four puppets surrounding them are all puppets which at the click of a remote control, Gepetto rewinds back on in hast to name them.
“I know! I’ll name them after the vowels!” each puppet is assigned a name, and individually takes the stage to poetically tell their own tale. Next it’s me. Palms hot, back aching, and my mind a million miles per minute. I start and only stop to draw breathe.

“Pinocchiee was jolly, a rosy-cheeked silly dolly. My voice it belts and hits the notes, always off-key so I’m pleased not to gloat. I think myself an undiscovered star, which will be spotted from afar. But instead everyday I’ll spread joy to every puppet and every toy.”

This doll draws a big smile and gleams to the children. They mirror and copy with ear-to-ear, some missing milk teeth. This is the point my stomach stops churning, and I cool down. And as I prepare for the next fifty minutes I realise we’re only minutes in and it’s already the best performance of the piece so far.

Wednesday 2 December 2009

first writing style piece: “Does he really think that we’re just made of wood?”


Its coming up to Christmas, under your tree there may be lots of presents but there’s something that won’t quite fit under there this year!
Gepetto’s workshop takes place at chickenshed theatre this winter. So take shelter from the cold and windy hash-whether outside, and transport you and your child into a magically place where one good little puppet comes to life and wants to save the day.

Adapted from the original story of “Pinocchio” and transformed into a contemporary version, where songs and dances lift you out of your seat and onto the stage.

The story begins, like most, with a bang. SLAM! The door closes after a hurrying Gepetto runs out after a very mischievous and naughty newly-made puppet. A puppet that has come to life! “Pinocchio! Come back here!” But what Gepetto does not realise is that Pinocchio’s 4 sisters also are all very much alive "does he really think that we're just made of wood?"All have their own stories, except one. Named after the vowels, the last made Pinocchiyoo embarks out on an adventure looking for her own story, meeting friends along the way.


If you’re involved in primary school learning or teaching…

From Monday 16th November to Wednesday 23rd December for a sum of £275, treat the lower years of your school no better way then with our show and workshop.

Designed by a small team, the piece is an interactive story which encourages the audience to get up and involved in what’s going on. Aimed at children up to the age of seven, the dances, songs and overall moral is perfect for performing at schools and to be applied into the classroom. Meeting characters, puppets and friends big and small, we promise never a dull moment.

It’s an experience your school will love if you use the mixture of learning, performing and art. We offer an hour session and a half an hour workshop period, in which we teach the children songs they will have heard during the piece, and take them through activities to do with the shows content containing role-play elements.
What a reward after a long year!

If you’re a parent…

For six performances only, you are welcomed into the main auditorium at Chickenshed to take part in helping the puppets along on the adventure. Joining in with songs and dances, meeting some new friends and seeing some old ones, we promise to make your child’s Christmas one they won’t forget!
If you haven’t been to chickenshed before, expect no stage as we encourage children to get as involved in what the performers are doing as much as they want. As well as, puppet interaction, monsters big and small, and a few surprise on the way!

Dates: Saturday 12th December
Saturday 19th December
Wednesday 23rd December.


Times : 10am & 11.30am


Tickets: £5


Book today: Box Office: 020 8292 9222.


Email: bookings@chickenshed.org.uk Or for textphone users call 18001 020 8292 9222 (Typetalk).

So if you’re looking for magic this year look no further then at gepettos workshop.