Volume 66, Number 1, Summer 2016 WORD MATTERS The Journal of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama Connecting teachers of communication, performance and life skills CONTENTS Contents Editorial Word Matters Pg 2 Lynne Collinson Editor Lynne Collinson [email protected] Advertising Manager Eric Bexon Articles [email protected] Pg 3 Creating An In-House Speech Festival Secretary Ann Jones Peter Lee [email protected] Reviews Editor Paul Bench Pg 7 The STSD: some benefits of becoming [email protected] a member Researchers Elizabeth Oakley Pg 8 Christopher Marlowe Needs You [email protected] Ken Pickering Enquiries to [email protected] Pg 10 Canterbury Marlowe Day Closing Date for Contributions to the Winter 2016 issue is October 31st 2016 and for the Pg 11 Surviving Actors Summer 2017 issue March 30th 2017 Lynne Collinson interviews Lianne Robertson Cost of adverts: Pg 12 Sweet Swan of Avon Full Page £135, Half Page £90. Elizabeth Oakley Word Matters is distributed to members of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama or Pg 16 To Swear or not to Swear can be ordered on a yearly subscription from: Lucy Cuthbertson Barbara Wentworth, [email protected] Annual Rates for non-members: Pg 19 Celebrating the Career of Rona Laurie UK £14 including postage. Overseas £21 including air mail. In Sterling, Stuart Morrison drawn on a London bank. Pg 22 Another String to Your Bow Cheques payable to STSD Lynne Collinson Online payment: www.stsd.org.uk Published by The Society of Teachers Pg 24 The Mousetrap of Speech and Drama William Ilkely 73 Berry Hill Road, Mansfield, Pg 26 Drama Arts Productions Notts., NG18 4RU Geoff Cresswell Reg. No. 38759673 Pg 28 On The Move with Vamos Printed by Cantate Communications 020 3651 1690 Rachael Savage www.cantatecommunications.com Pg 30 The Big CCC The views expressed in this Journal are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board or of Alison Shan Price the STSD Pg 33 The Society and the Association Cover image: Filming Al Arabya. One World of Speakers Clubs Actors’ Centre Mike Douse Facebook Page: The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama Book Reviews Twitter @stsd_ Pg 34 Book Reviews WORD MATTERS SUMMER 2016 1 WELCOME Welcome to Word Matters Summer 2016 Thou art a Moniment, without a tombe, Elizabeth Oakley’s fascinating article, Sweet Swan of And art alive still, while thy Booke doth live, Avon which describes the way the English have viewed And we have wits to read, and praise to give. Shakespeare throughout the ages, reminded me of the … bowlderised editions of Shakespeare’s plays we studied He was not of an age, but for all time! at school. What rich language we missed, what key And all the Muses still were in their prime, parts of plays such as “Othello” were altered. Recently, When like Apollo he came forth to warme someone on a drama teachers’ Facebook group posed Our eares, or like a Mercury to charme! this question: “Is it acceptable for my medal students Nature her selfe was proud of his designes, to swear in their Lamda acting examinations.” The And joy’d to weare the dressing of his lines! comments that followed were quite amusing. I was Which were so richly spun, and woven so fit, surprised at the number of teachers who cut the As, since, she will vouchsafe no other Wit. “offensive” language (sic) or even substituted “milder” The merry Greeke, tart Aristophanes, terms. In her article on teaching students to use bad Neat Terence, witty Plautus, now not language, Lucy Cuthbertson explores this issue in please; But antiquated, and deserted lye depth. If you have any comments on this subject, feel As they were not of Natures family. free to send them to [email protected] Yet must I not give Nature all: Thy Art, My gentle Shakespeare, must enjoy a part; Moving on to other types of theatre, you can read about touring in The Mousetrap, Vamos theatre Ben Jonson’s eulogy for Shakespeare on his death, company which uses full masks, a multi-cultural theatre in the preface to the first folio, remains one of the company, and Christopher Marlowe. best summations of the Bard’s talent and legacy. In this year, the 400th anniversary of his death, we are Finally, this year at least two members celebrate their fortunate to have our annual conference in Stratford. centenary, one of whom, Rona Laurie, has been a Not only that, but celebrations are ongoing throughout familiar figure at agms and conferences, and has taught the country, where nearly every town has recognised many of our members. Former student and friend of his work in some way. Thousands paraded through Rona, Stuart Morrison, gives us an insight into her life the streets of Stratford on April 23rd, where people and work on page 22. from the six Stratfords across the world gathered for a special reunion. One event that amused me was on a I hope this Summer issue Lufthansa flight from Birmingham to Frankfurt. The gives you plenty of food for flight attendant, Adam Sunderland, bravely performed thought. the inflight welcome and farewell in Shakespearean English, appropriately dressed in Elizabethan costume. Lynne Collinson From archeological talks and digs, to films and live broadcasts, there has been an embarrassment of Shakespearean riches. Date for your Diary Our 2016 conference in Stratford is almost fully booked. Next year our conference will take place in the beautiful Lake District. It will be based in Ambleside from 17-20 August with accommodation on The University of Cumbria campus. The Conference will include a visit to The Wordsworth Museum and Dove Cottage in Grasmere with a workshop led by The Wordsworth Trust Education team with access to some of Wordsworth’s original manuscripts and documents. There will be a cruise round Derwentwater and a performance at The Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. Unmissable. 2 WORD MATTERS SUMMER 2016 CREATING AN IN-HOUSE SPEECH FESTIVAL Teacher Peter Lee tells us about Speech Festivals in his native Hong Kong Creating an In-house Speech Festival - Speech Gala in a Hong Kong Primary School I am not sure how As the Speech Festival is held every year between truthful it was when two November and December, the school’s atmosphere retired British school for speech and drama is particularly rich in the first heads commented that school term. However, I noticed that as the Festival “there isn’t anything comes to an end, it became hard to keep the poetic like this in England” and dramatic environment in school – something had after watching a session to be done for the second term as well. In 2011, in my of the Speech Gala, a capacity as the English Subject Head, I spoke to the school-based speech consultant of my department at that time, Mr Simon and drama contest, held Tham, who advised that a school-based event similar earlier this year (Feb to the Festival should be created. Thus, a proposal 2016) in my serving was done over that Christmas and with the approval school in Hong Kong, of the School Head and Mr Tham, we had our first where English is a in-house Speech Festival in the second term of 2011, second language. But certainly, since the inaugural which was titled “Speech Gala 2011”. Speech Gala in 2011, we have been witnessing year after year the brightened faces of our children Rationales enjoying in the language and treating it as an art form on stage. If you have been teaching a language through drama yourself, you would probably have experienced the My last article for Word Matters states the importance positive transformation to the learners in the process. of training individual pupils for speech performances As an ESL teacher in a primary school for over a (Lee, 2015); this time, I should introduce the platform decade, it is more than certain to me that stressing school teachers could build on which budding on the artistic and performance values of this target performers could unleash their speech and drama language makes learning a lot more fun, solid and talent and learn from one another. vibrant than merely teaching the accurate usage of it for assessment purposes. As Kao and O’Neill (1998) A Brief History have said, “Through drama, teacher and students together enter the world of increasingly authentic Hong Kong has an old competition for speech and scenarios and creative dialogues.” This is particularly drama known as the Hong Kong Schools Speech useful for the more reticent ones as sooner or later Festival (organised by the Hong Kong Schools Music they will need to learn to speak in public. and Speech Association). This festival has been held for over 65 years and has been listed under The Further to the benefits of learning English through British and International Federation of Festivals for drama (which naturally covers speech in general), Music, Dance and Speech. My school is an active Wessels (1987) has a comprehensive summary in participant of this event which involves categories like that such learning leads to the acquisition of the verse-speaking, prose-reading and choral speaking. language meaningfully and interactively; learners get to master the vocabulary, pronunciation and WORD MATTERS SUMMER 2016 3 CREATING AN IN-HOUSE SPEECH FESTIVAL prosodic features of the language contextually; teachers teach them the pieces involved in all and the confidence in learning the language could categories of their level. And in the case of public be improved. I especially agree with the last point speaking, English teachers discuss with students above that students gain confidence in the process.