The Adult Drama group at the University of Winchester goes from strength to strength.
Some members have had experiences of prison, substance abuse and homelessness but the group is open to anyone who is interested and in September opened its doors to women participants. Some of the men in the group have taken part in the annual production which is staged in West Hill HMP Winchester.
The aim of these sessions is to have fun and also to explore themes and ideas which are of interest to members of the group. In June 2010, the group toured a play about making choices to Pupil Referral Units and a Young Offenders' Institution. The play involved audience participation and one young person said that the play told his story. As a result, one of the members of the drama group is now acting as a mentor for this young man. In June 2011 the group performed their own version of John Godber’s play Bouncers. As well as performing to an audience at the university they also staged a performance at a fund-raising event for the charity Friends of HMP Winchester.
The work of the group is supported by a drama tutor supported by Hampshire Learning and a group of Year 3 Drama students.
Here is what they have to say about their work:
'We're a group of undergraduate students from the University of Winchester known as the Blue Stripe Theatre Company. We have been working alongside a tutor from Hampshire Learning since October 2011 and running weekly drama sessions since January 2012 as part of Playing for Time Theatre Company. At Christmas we put on a devised production about how the recession may be affecting families at Christmas and the impact of austerity measures on people at the margins of society. We're currently working towards a production to be performed at the Tower Arts Centre on the evening of Friday May 18th. It is based on themes from Blood Brothers by playwright Willy Russell. We are very lucky to be a part of this group and even more lucky that Applied Drama course has given us the opportunity to work with this group.'
The group meets on Tuesday nights from 7.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Please contact nataliebrett@hotmail.com
or email playingfortime@winchester.ac.uk
for further information about the group and about the show in May.
Tel: 01962 827398 |
