Innehållsförteckning för June 2024 från Ink Pellet

Looking back at pre-election Ink Pellet issues from past years, I see we have long championed arts education and the need for more investment in the arts – from schools to the West End – hoping that incoming governments will invest in this most important sector and halt the decline in arts education. Disappointingly, this is still the case – probably more than ever – and there appears to be next to nothing in any of the manifestos this year to provide encouragement for our beleaguered sector. Perhaps once in place, the new government can look past the perceived ‘core’ election issues of the NHS and housing to realise that the arts play a vital role in our society and our standing in the world, let alone the billions they…

Art galleries are about a lot more than just art these days. You can, for example, study social history in some detail from looking at paintings. You can also consider the materials that Renaissance painters had at their disposal and how, for example, they created colours – there were no art shops selling little tubes in 15th century Florence. There’s a lot of science in paintings too. What is that man holding in his hand and why? Or symbolism: What is the significance of the cat, dog, lily or snake in that painting? Or slavery: Why is there a single black man in a turban standing slightly back in that group? You can also, with guidance, enhance your own artistic skills by looking carefully at the works of others. Art…

25% off was £30 Just £22.50 per year! Your annual Ink Pellet subscription includes: • Six issues per year – bringing you the latest from across the arts world, with useful advice for English & Drama teachers and students looking to further their studies • Informative features to assist you in planning your school theatre trips, lesson planning, advice for school drama productions INK PELLET SUBSCRIBE TODAY at www.inkpellet.co.uk/subscribe for just £22.50 per year – includes FREE access to the full digital online edition SPECIAL OFFER: additional subscriptions to same school/college at just £15 ea!…

‘WITNESS’ STORY WRITING WINNER World renowned author Kate Mosse and Agatha Christie’s great grandson James Prichard are delighted to announce the winner of the Witness for the Prosecution story writing competition for secondary school students. The competition was launched in January to celebrate 2000 performances of Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall and a record-breaking 12 months for the production playing to 98% capacity. Budding authors in Years 7 – 9 were invited to write a short thriller of up to 2000 words inspired by Witness for the Prosecution for the chance to win tickets for their class to see the theatre production at County Hall. Year 7 Student Leo Weekes (above) from King’s School in Winchester has been announced as the winner for his story The Handshake.…

BIG LIES by Mark Kurlansky Published by Tilbury House One of the most interesting and informative non-fiction titles I’ve read in a long time, Big Lies is aimed at teenagers, but you hardly notice that. It’s serious, over 300 pages long and there’s no dumbing down of language or attempt to be “matey”. But it’s warmly accessible. Propaganda, misinformation, half-truths, rumour, myth, fake news, hoax – has there ever been a time when it’s more important to filter it all from the truth? Big public lies are thrown at us constantly from the link between autism and measles (there isn’t one) to doctored photographs emanating from war zones and the outlandish pronouncements of Donald Trump. Mark Kurlansky debunks hundreds of lies, current and historical while also examining how lying works.…

This summer you can catch The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle, Romeo and Juliet, The Gondoliers or The Hound of the Baskervilles presented with imagination, wit and verve in venues all over the country including gardens, parks and open-air theatres. “We are Illyria” as the cast of five choruses cheerfully to the audience at every show. And it all started when Oliver Gray had a light bulb moment during Macbeth at Open Air Theatre Regents Park in 1991. “It was when I heard that wonderful line ‘The crow makes wing to the rooky wood’ and a pigeon swooped across the stage,” says Oliver. Of course it was coincidence, but it chimed with Shakespeare’s imagery and reinforced the intensity of the moment. And I suddenly realised that open air theatre really works…

You came late to professional acting. How did that come about? Well, I only ever wanted to be an actor. At about age 5 I simply presumed that was what I’d do, but somehow other things happened instead. I wanted to leave St Paul’s Girls’ School when I was 16, but my mother dissuaded me and I did well academically at A level which led to a First in English Literature and then a masters at Oxford. Of course, I did some student drama but then I did other things, got married, had a baby and got divorced. So did you then train as an actor? Yes. I was 37 with a child of two when I saw a newspaper ad for a part-time night course at London Centre for…