snorkelling

trying out snorkelling at a school holiday session at Calverton Leisure Centre...

Junk4Funk

Today we met up with my brother and his elder daughter at a craft session organised by Gedling Borough Council. The session, recycling our 'rubbish' to make musical instruments was hosted by Victor Scott of Junk4Funk with his slogan 'My music is rubbish'.

Unfortunately we did find his constant self-congratulation and his emphasis on reassuring us that our children had now achieved one of their national curriculum targets quite irritating.



However it was lovely to spend time with Jonno and Mila, and the girls both enjoyed making their pizza box guitars and playing samba with yogurt pot shakers, so all in all a good day :0)

jestering and drumming

We are lucky to live not far from Sherwood Forest and regularly attended the NNSHEEP home ed meets there; and it was at the Robin Hood festival 2 years ago that Madi, having just appeared on stage as Maid Marian, announced her desire to take up archery.

This year however, we decided to take a break from crowds, or even company, and spent the day before the festival at Sherwood Forest, just the two of us together. It was not too busy, but things were already getting underway, and we spent a long while attempting to learn to juggle, diablo and spin plates...



...before looking around the visitor centre for the first time in many, many visits. We come here so often it's easy to overlook the exhibits, especially out with friends, so we pretended to be tourists and had some fun looking round and testing each other on the quiz questions...



..which made us think we'd give the trail with clues around the main routes through the forest, taking in information about the flora and fauna a go too...



...before an amazing afternoon session drumming.

peas peas cauliflower cheese and peas

Birthday Gift: not living!

Two very special presents for Madi this year- and here is a picture of her first attempt with her new compound bow...

Happy 8th Birthday!

And so to possibly the most important date in July- Madi's birthday! We'd hoped to have a special home made archery target cake, but the specially purchased coloured icings just disappeared (twice!) and so we had a last minute dash out for her to choose this Glee cake.


Highlight of the day for Madi turned out to be a visit to the optician where she was delighted to find out that she needs glasses! (Picture to follow when we collect them). JK's prescription hadn't changed but as he has grown so much, needed a new adult-sized pair. Somehow I doubt that he will wear them any more than he has just because they fit better!

To celebrate we spent an afternoon with the Naylor family at Nottingham-by-the-Sea...

(Life's A Beach in Old Market Square - Throughout the summer holiday the Old Market Square will be transformed into a seaside themed playground complete with sand, paddling pool and FREE entertainment. With something happening every day this is the perfect way to keep children (and adults!) busy over the break. Visit www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/seaside for details.)

This was followed by Pizza Hut and The Sound of Music at Theatre Royal. Molly and Madi played the roles of Brigitta and Gretl in last year's dance school show, so were particularly excited, but we were all overwhelmed by an amazing performance.

appearing in the Nottingham Post

Hail Caesar – the new youth production

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Nottingham Post

Follow

CAESAR, 13, has more experience in comedy. But in recent weeks he's got used to oratory and getting stabbed.

And he wasn't expecting a starring role.

Star roles: Madi Smith, 7, and Isaac Stark, 13, as Julius Caesar.

"I thought I'd get something smaller," said Isaac Stark, 13, who plays the title role in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. "I enjoy doing comedies. This was quite challenging at first, but now I think I've got used to being Caesar."

That's good, because tomorrow Julius and fellow young actors take to the stage at the New Art Exchange, Gregory Boulevard, and perform a work that's ambitious for a troupe ranging from teenagers to primary school-aged children.

The toga-clad crew is part of the Royal Youth Shakespeare Company, a local theatre group that believes the works of the Bard shouldn't be off limits to the young.

"We got fed up seeing kids not doing anything but getting stuck at the back of the chorus," said assistant director Malcolm Barnes, who runs the RYSC with artistic director Fiona Naysmith.

"Not only are they capable of it, they rather enjoy it."

The company targets pupils of all backgrounds, although many are home-educated. Malcolm explained that when they set up the RYSC several years ago, that group jumped out as one where the opportunities to participate in something like a holiday play did not always exist.

Act 1: The cast of Julius Caesar, which will be staged at the New Art Exchange in Hyson Green.

The summer Shakespeare play is one of the RYSC's three annual projects, and the only one that actually involves the Bard's work. There's also a writing and directing course, and a Christmas play.

The Shakespeare, meanwhile, is taught in a way that includes history and an understanding of the time period and themes.

Some of the young actors are veterans of RYSC productions and aren't daunted by Shakespeare. For others, this is their first go-round with the Bard. Extra workshops have helped.

"We did some rhetoric workshops," explained Seirian Griffiths, 10, a home-educated pupil from Mapperley Park. "The language is easier than I thought it would be."

Lucy Wakefield, a 14-year-old home-educated pupil from Hucknall, said working on Shakespeare had been good for confidence.

"Acting," she said, "is a passion."

The actors also had to get used to one other thing – the full-length togas they'll wear.

"It's quite hard because I have to keep my arm up here all the time," said Carrington Primary pupil Lottie Bluewater, 10, as she bent her arm so that her hand rested just below her neck in the manner of a Roman senator.

Julius Caesar is on at New Art Exchange, Gregory Boulevard, Hyson Green, on Friday and Saturday at 7pm. There is also a Saturday 2:30pm matinee performance.

For more information on the RYSC e-mail rysc@live.co.uk.

0

0recommendations

Report

boating at Highfields

We had hoped to meet up with a friend that lives in Beeston before tennis today, but unfortunately she cancelled at the last minute, so we made the most of our time by heading to Highfields (University Park) for the boating lake.

Madi found it a lot harder than it looked, but soon started to get the hang of rowing and, more importantly, steering! Which the wildlife was rather pleased about too!