Children tackle bullying issue

Students, who train in Hastings and Rye at the Pursued by Bear School of Drama used the stage to highlight the problem of bullying in a powerful play.
Bully Cast SUS-150921-141516001Bully Cast SUS-150921-141516001
Bully Cast SUS-150921-141516001

They were performing at the Stables Theatre in Hastings, as part of the successful Hastings Fringe Festival last Saturday afternoon.

You could have heard a pin drop in the auditorium as their theatre piece, “Bully”, took to the stage.

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Described by audience members as “moving”, “powerful”, “a strong piece of theatre”, “slick” and “one of the best things ever seen”; it was an impressive debut for the school as their first piece of staged work placed out in the public domain.

The whole piece was workshopped and devised by the students themselves with support and guidance from Artistic Director, Zoe Morgan and School’s Producer, Rachel Kimber.

It was rehearsed and made theatre ready in just three weeks by the team of actors ranging in age from six to seventeen years, all of whom had speaking parts.

“Bully” explores the multitude of ways in which young people encounter, react to and are affected by bullying in their everyday lives, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of advice given and interventions from adults.

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Pursued by Bear School of Drama have more theatre based productions in the pipeline and anyone interested in joining them should see the website for contact details www.pursuedbybearschoolofdrama.co.uk.

The school’s part-time classes allow students to explore a wide variety of drama and theatre techniques including devising performances, developing scripts, physical theatre, understanding Shakespeare, character development, presenting monologues and performing scripts from theatre, film and television.

Rachel Kimber said: “Creativity, self-expression and self-confidence are definitely the buzz words here.”

Classes take place in Rye at Tilling Green Community Centre, for seven years to 15 years on Fridays - 4.15pm to 5.15pm (term time only).

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In Hastings they are held at St Mary Star of the Sea School with seven years to 11 years on Fridays - 6pm to 7pm (term time only) and 12 years to 18 years Friday - 7pm to 8pm (Term time only.) All classes are £6 per week (per person per class), paid half-termly in advance. First lesson free.

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