Workshops for Children

Wonderful Beast is the storytelling theatre company that brings myths, fairy tales, folk tales and legends to audiences of all ages though productions, storytelling performances, and educational workshops. It also runs its own company workshops to develop skills and to recruit new talent.

Since 1997, Wonderful Beast has performed stories and put on workshops for thousands of children in London and Scotland and is planning to extend its work to all the regions.

Alys Kihl, the Artistic Director of the company is the guiding force behind all outreach and research and development work. Her many years of experience in education in primary school, as both class teacher and a music and drama specialist, as well as her work as a a freelance music consultant and workshop leader are invaluable for this area of Wonderful Beast`s output.

Educational Projects have included:

Wonderful Beast and Beeja visited Rajasthan to present

Little Red Chunni
based on Little Red Cap by the Brothers Grimm

performed by
Ann Firbank -actor
Anusha Subramanyam- dancer
RR Prathap –musician
adapted and directed by Alys Kihl

with children from Step by Step High School, and Akshara Slum Schoolin the Jaipur International Heritage Festival

January 2007

above: workshop slideshow - the children in blue are from Step by Step High School and those in red are Akshara slum school.

photography by Vipul Sangoi

Step by Step High School generously sponsored Wonderful Beast, in collaboration with Indian dance company, Beeja, to run workshops for two hundred children culminating in a public performance on January 14. The presentation was a partially bilingual version of the story of Little Red Cap by the Brothers Grimm. The young people aged from nine to sixteen performed alongside the artists, both on stage and within the audience. The event was greeted with a rapturous response.

The aim was to introduce the children to a range of new and imaginative ways of storytelling by blending traditional and contemporary methods, and to develop their language, creative and performing skills. Most of all we wanted to instil a sense of excitement and creative freedom as we all worked together.

The outcome was miraculous. The children responded to all the demands and showed their marvellous skills as dancers, singers and actors whilst exploring and responding to new ways of working. What a joy!

Wonderful Beast was invited to perform Abiyoyo & The Musicians of Bremen in nine primary schools at The Spark Childrens Arts Festival, June 2005

 

‘Thank you for such a brilliant show, which judging from the feedback was universally enjoyed. The sense of surprise and excitement which your performance generated runs through all the reviews and drawings. Thanks for the time taken for discussion with the teachers who felt clearly inspired by what they had seen’.
Ellen Bianchini
Artistic Director of The Spark Festival

Feedback from teacher:
‘The children`s response was enthusiastic, excited, involved engaged – able to discuss interesting areas of plot and character’. Davelands Primary school

The Floating Vessel: Stories that Travel
Indian storytelling and music workshops with Vaiyu Naidu and Ansuman Biswas, for primary schools at the Crafts Council, Islington (1998).

Given that this was a six year class with attitude the story was great and held the attention of children who are usually quite blasé.
Jane Seed, class teacher, Winton Primary School , Islington.

I really enjoyed the play a lot. I also enjoyed the part where you didn`t just tell the story but also did actions and played the different instruments and did lots of expression. And when you started the story you didn`t start once upon a time, but started calling for each other. Mirabella, Winton Primary School (age 8years).

Tatterhood (A Norwegian folk tale) at the Rosemary Branch, Islington which involved subsidised performances and workshops in local schools (1999)

Dear Alys and the company,
I am very sorry I could not come to the play. But if I did I am sure I would love it. I was sick so I could not come to see Tatterhood. The other children said it was good. Thank you for the workshop though. I enjoyed it very much.
Georgie, St Albans Primary School, (age 7years)

Tatterhood on tour in Scotland
Performances and workshops throughout the Highlands and Islands including the St Magnus Festival, Orkney. (2000)

Dear Wonderful Beast,
Your show was great, so was the workshop. I really enjoyed them and they made me laugh. It helped when Mrs Hancock read Tatterhood to us because I got a little confused when Ane made Tatterhood speak Norwegian. I really liked the instrument with a wellie boot on the end that Sam was playing. Out of a hundred I would give the workshop 97 and the play 100. I hope we get to see another play from Wonderful Beast,
Michelle Hutcheon, (age 9) Stromness Primary School, Orkney.

Orpheus
Wonderful Beast in collaboration with Children Music Workshop in Tower Hamlets primary schools developing singing and drama skills based on the myth of Orpheus. (2002)

The Water Babies & The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
Music and drama workshops in Jubilee Primary School, Hackney in the Creative Partnerships scheme. (2003) (photo by Magnus Hastings)

Dear Alys, Pancho and Matthew,
I am writing to tell you that I enjoyed working with you because on the first day the whole class was bored. So Pancho cheered us up by making a complicating game. We had a bit of a laugh but when you went we were bored again.
I really liked the rap. It was awesome. I really thought the story was about dragons and kings. Also evil villains. Right now I feel bored doing maths and english but when you lot are here l jump around until I`m out of breath.
Masud Khan (10years) Jubilee Primary School

Cap O` Rushes
storytelling in Tower Hamlets in collaboration with Children's Music Workshop

Abiyoyo and The Musicians of Bremen
Workshops in Hackney, Islington, Southwark. (2003)

Comments from children about the workshop in Laycock Primary School, Islington

I want to play that game again, robber`s footsteps

The bit I liked was when we had to be animals in the forest

I liked the bit where the monster ate the sheep.

I liked when we sat down and then stood up and did the actions


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