ShadyJane workshop for Andover College Performing Arts students

04 July 2012

Award winning, all female performance company ShadyJane has been working with Andover College BTEC Extended Diploma (Performing Arts) Year 1 and AS Drama students recently. Their specialist workshop explores the process of creating a devised performance from text such as a play or book.  The students have been studying ‘Gormenghast,’ a play based on Mervyn Peake’s novel Titus Groan and alongside the ShadyJane team they worked as a chorus to create a physical and stylised opening to the play which they subsequently performed in the College Studio Theatre.

The students gained an insight into the rehearsal methods devised by the Eastleigh based company members Charlotte Cassey and Deborah Lampard, who specialise in creating structured improvisations. They worked on blending the text into creating a physical environment through movement and vocal soundscape. The skills gained from this  performance workshop will have a direct impact on students who are working through the devising element of the Performing Arts course at Andover College. Lighting and sound has been designed and operated by BTEC Subsidiary Diploma Stage Management Year 1 & 2 students.

Charlotte Cassey from ShadyJane said: “Working with the students at Andover College was fantastic, they responded so well to the exercises that we were able to create a piece of work that could easily be the opening to a devised show, in just 2 short hours. It was really impressive to see the whole group working together to create such a powerful piece of performance.”

Andover College offers a number of Performing Arts courses including the one year Level 2 BTEC Diploma in Performing Arts – Drama; Level 3 BTEC Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma in Performing Arts – Acting, which can be studied over one to two years and a Level 3 BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/Extended Diploma in Performing Arts which can be studied over one to two years.  For further information please visit www.andover.ac.uk or call 01264 360000.

ENDS