The ‘Brave New World’ of Drama to Help Tackle Social Isolation

Published on: 24 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 26 Sep, 2018

By Amina Sahbegovic

A new intergenerational drama project from Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC), called Spirit of Youth will bring together children from Weyfield Primary School with the residents of the Queen Elizabeth Care Home.

The aim is to reduce social isolation by assisting disadvantaged schools and individuals across Surrey and the first project is part of GSC’s programme “Brave New World”.

Over the course of ten weeks, the children and care-home residents will create a 15-20 minute version of Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that they will present to family and friends. GSC hopes to help the young and old form relationships as they share their own experiences and stories to convert the play into their own words, making it understandable for both sides.

Sarah Gobran, GSC’s co-founder explains: “It is easy to instantly see the benefits of diverse age groups working together. The elderly residents rarely get many visitors and relish watching the enthusiasm of the children; by helping them to read words that they might not have come across before, the older people have purpose again and are vital. Ultimately young children love attention and to talk, so they thrive given a captive audience within the care home.”

Since its establishment in 2006, GSC prides itself on its approach of breaking down initial barriers. The company deliberately choses non-theatre venues, inviting audiences to interact in community spaces, encouraging a local pride, and sustaining a collective cultural heritage.

Sarah Gobran added: “GSC has been running Drama Clubs for years. It suddenly became obvious that there was no reason not to run these classes within a residential care home. The supportive environment provides enriching experiences for them all and ensures that the elderly residents are more likely to stay actively involved, whereas they might withdraw if only amongst their own peer group.”

Spirit of Youth, made possible through the support of the Community Foundation for Surrey, builds on Sprites, GSC’s after-school Drama Clubs. Sprites is held in local primary schools where children explore a different Shakespeare play each term. GSC explains that “if a child stays with the club for the full four years, they will go to secondary school having learnt as many as twelve of Shakespeare’s plays.”

Many of the company’s programmes are free-to-access. Through them, GSC hopes to share its experiences with local authorities and charities to encourage further projects in Surrey and across the UK.

For more details about the Brave New World projects, visit the website www.guildfordshakespeare-company.co.uk, or contact Ant Stones, GSC’s Head of Education, on 01483 301590, education@guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk.