This past Saturday we began the Theatre on the Move project. The story that is unfolding does not strike me as surprising - it is a love tragedy in a neighbourhood setting that is replete with gangsterism, drugs, and corruption. Through this project I intended to foreground themes and topics that are most relevant to them. By asking them to develop their own story and access their creative wisdom through theatre, I wanted to explore their 'internal' narratives. It did not strike me as surprising that the story which they created was one that mirrored their daily observations. It is a powerful story that for me reflects the violence that is part of their reality.
The group is now comprised of 6 children and not 9. One of the children moved back to live with his grandmother outside of Blikkiesdorp, another has other interests that come with age (she fell in love with someone, leaving behind her childhood and transitioning into adolescence), and the other we have decided will no longer be with us (he was not committed to joining in on the activities).
Deciding to exclude one of the children was a difficult choice for us to make. Even now, I feel sad. It's interesting for me - learning about boundaries, how to assert them, how to meet everyone's needs in the most peaceable of way.
This is the last official project we will be doing with the children. It will end with a wonderful exhibition of all that they have created. After that we will have another break where Maxine and I will be searching for a different site to work in. The cycle continues.
The group is now comprised of 6 children and not 9. One of the children moved back to live with his grandmother outside of Blikkiesdorp, another has other interests that come with age (she fell in love with someone, leaving behind her childhood and transitioning into adolescence), and the other we have decided will no longer be with us (he was not committed to joining in on the activities).
Deciding to exclude one of the children was a difficult choice for us to make. Even now, I feel sad. It's interesting for me - learning about boundaries, how to assert them, how to meet everyone's needs in the most peaceable of way.
This is the last official project we will be doing with the children. It will end with a wonderful exhibition of all that they have created. After that we will have another break where Maxine and I will be searching for a different site to work in. The cycle continues.
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