SAVVY Theatre | Year In Review

2014/2015

In Addition

Our partnership with Honeywood Museum dominated these two years, with both Romeo & Juliet and Alice's Mad Tea Party having sell-out runs during the May half term. We also produced some beautiful work with our Young Company, who took part in numerous festivals and events across London and the South East. Our community outreach work also included a reminiscence theatre project in Waverley, delivering mask workshops at the Orpheus Centre in Godstone and for young people at Man In The Moon Theatre in Guildford. We also hosted backstage work experience placements from Bloomin'Arts as part of the Unite Festival, which also brought our new adult company together with Action Replay and our Young Company for the first time.

We worked with Sutton Mencap's day programme on the Connect2 Friendship project, using drama to explore a variety of social situations, from going shopping to making friends and safety while using public transport. For young people we hosted a masterclass weekend in stage combat and launched our Arts Ambassadors programme, giving young people the opportunity to understand, develop and implement marketing strategies. Wandle Valley pupils were busy making disaster film trailers and showcasing their mask skills (before heading to the high-seas for their panto), and our Action Replay drama group also heading 'Back to Wonderland' for their Christmas production. Phew! We like to keep busy ...

My Black & Deep Desires.

This was a Wandle Valley drama project, re-interpreting the themes of Shakespeare's MACBETH.

From the same opening, two versions have emerged.
Both as bloody. Both as mean. Both with power and with greed.

Pupils from the Senior and Junior drama groups performed their devised pieces at the Wandle Arts Day in July.

500 Miles

Come and meet Bernard as his daily routine is interrupted by the arrival of a letter. A letter that has travelled 500 miles and back again. Suddenly the course of his life has a very different outlook. When I wake up, well I know I’m gonna be …

Devised especially for their showcase at the Ivy Arts Centre as part of the Surrey Youth Drama Festival, the SAVVY Young Company then went on to perform at Guilfest. Their new piece was been devised with full-face masks from Strangeface Theatre Company.

Pronoun

For the 4th year running the SAVVY Young Company took part in the National Theatre Connections Festival. This year they were performing PRONOUN by Evan Placey. After 2 performances at the Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, the group transferred to the Capitol Theatre, Horsham.

"Josh and Isabella are childhood sweethearts. They were meant to spend their gap year together, they were meant to be together forever. But Isabella has now become a boy. A love story about transition, testosterone, and James Dean."

The Disappearance of Timothy Jackson

Originally an interactive theatre event devised and performed by the SAVVY Young Company as part of Sutton's Imagine Festival of the Arts. In addition to the performance, there was the opportunity for young people to take part in the event online, by sharing their own original stories, re-telling other ghostly tales or reading what others had submitted.

Camelot

Action Replay once again teamed up with SAVVY’s Young Company to bring you their annual Christmas show.
When Arthur’s brother Lancelot is stolen by Morgan le Fay, Arthur is thrown into a journey full of farting knights, useless wizards, questionable princesses and Queen!

A fun, ‘get-involved’ show for all ages took place on Sunday, 30th November at the Secombe Theatre.

A Christmas Carol

Pupils and staff at Wandle Valley school once again performed side by side in their annual Christmas production. As expected there were loads of laughter as the cast did their own wonderfully unique take on the traditional story.

Time Machine Greatest Hits

The Action Replay Drama Group celebrated their many years of dance and drama performances with a showcase of highlights. Recreating a medley of Greatest Hits from their plethora of past productions, they delighted all as they zoomed back in time to remember some of their wonderfully fun, weirdly unique and award-winning moments!

The Great Train Robbery

The Action Replay group once again devised a brand new theatre piece, re-creating the Silent Film era live onstage.

"All Aboard! Come and join a collection of odd-ball characters as they journey on an old steam train. But beware! There’s mischief afoot as a band of robbers are determined to get their hands on the contents of that safe! Will the duchess get her jewels back? Will the lovers re-unite? Will anyone be able to grab the tea-lady’s buns? A melodramatic caper full of laughter, love and locomotion!"

After their success at the annual Strictly Stars event at the Secombe Theatre in May, they took their show to the theatre tent at Guilfest.

A Wandle Pirate Panto

This year, the Wandle Valley Christmas Show sailed across the ocean, travelling to the four corners of the world in search of a golden treasure!

Teachers and pupils performed onstage together for this annual event that featured a plenty of sword-fights, sinking ships, polar bears, exploding coconuts and a break-dancing Queen Elizabeth I!