Bridge of Dreams - Week One

Rehearsal Blog

Week One

Thursday 28 February 2008

This is our first official teaching session with the students of the Bridge School. Prior to this we worked with them for three weeks, discovering how they work and learning what stimulates them. The whole group came to see Marianne Dreams at the Almeida Theatre in January, so we initially worked on ideas in the play, developing the notion of dreams – an abstract concept for most of the students.

During a two week break (an inset day and half term at the school), the Almeida Projects team devised the basic structure of the story in the rehearsal room at the Almeida. Today we return to the Bridge School to teach the students the story of Bridge of Dreams, which will be performed in the school's new drama studio on Thursday 3 April to an invited audience of fellow students, staff, family and friends.

We began our first session with a name game. This acts as a good vocal warm-up for everyone. Drama facilitator Imogen Knight then led us in a physical warm-up consisting of a number of stretches and some rhythmical work. (We all need waking up for the session as it is directly after lunch and we all know what that post-lunch slump can be like!)

Following this, director Dan Ayling introduced the story to the students and taught everyone the opening call-and-response song entitled There’s a Party Tomorrow. This short song establishes the context for the play – quite simply:

           There’s a party tomorrow

There’ll be singing and dancing

There’ll be chips and juice

           And maybe some cake.

           There’s a party tomorrow
           So it’s time for bed
           Let’s rest our heads.

After the first song, we then taught the students a 'Round of Sounds' – three different noises associated with sleep: a ticking clock, yawning and snoring. Split into three groups, each group takes a different sound and perform together, creating a soundscape of noises. This heralds the shift from reality to the dream world.

Finally, we practiced processing together, weaving in and out of each other, circling and moving through the space. This was completed with a short session on building a boat using pillows which each of the students carries with them in the dream world.

Highlights of the Week

One of the boys, Harry, made his usual brief appearance which meant a lot of shouting before storming out of the room.
Nitesh, another of the boys, who usually starts each session outside the group was with us from the beginning and was particularly good in the call and response.
Daniel announced it was his 18^th birthday next week.