The Weird and Wonderful World of Bakarkington Academy
Published on 17 August 2016.
Well my favourite human beans, let me tell you, the end of phase two of The Dahl Project went off with a bang! Oh yes, the end of The Dahl Project Summer School Performance was a triumph. A bonkers, fizz-whizzing, whoopsy-splunker of a performance.
Our summer school this year with Tobacco Factory Theatres just demonstrated how much can be achieved in ten days. On the 1st August 17 participants aged 13-17 met for the first time, and set off on a creative marathon to make a brand new show. We began with a basic storyline set in a school, taking the characters from the ‘Marvellous Book of Imagination’ created in phase I of the project as source material.
Over nine days the young people devised scenes, stories and narrative arcs for the characters, and ‘The Weird World of Bakarkington Academy’ began to take shape.
We joined Mr. Coolskills, head teacher of Bakarkington Academy and his wonderful array of students; from a pizza loving George, to a super balancer Super Bethan, to a secretary that no-one can understand except her exasperated son alex – a fun and wacky group. But amongst all this, the dastardly Dr Bl’Ood B. Ottler had a cunning plan, that involved a chicken and a kindness competiton – foul play? I think so!
We were very proud of the final performance at The Wardrobe Theatre, where none of the young people had performed before, but put on a brilliant, professional performance. A big ‘Thank you’ to Tobacco Factory Theatres, The Wardrobe Theatre, our amazing creative team of professionals and young artists who made the show happen, and all the young people involved:
THE CAST
The Staff
Mr Cool-Skills – Head Teacher Roc Waisbord Seras
Dr Bl’Ood B. Ottler – Deputy Head Olivia Phillips
Miss Pantyfish – The Secretary Maddy Woods
Mr Clive Gordon – Ofsted Inspector Tim Woods
The Students
Harriet Sophie Greenwood
Alex Cameron Cassidy
Kind Kerry Lola Brooks Higham
Super Bethan Casey Plumley
Alfie Gaterson Liwanu Dodangoda Arachchi
Ikra Chloe Heavens
Super Lola Kyran Hobbs
Francine Holly Ouvry
Marvlaus Chelsea Comerford
Sam Shadowman Ed Waller
George J’achur Baker
Rude Rosie Ellie Harris
Cris Zedd Damodred
THE CREATIVE TEAM
The Directors Emma Williams and Roisin Linton
The Writers Toby Hulse and Rosie Gailor
The Designers Kerry Russell and Lydia Higginson
The Production Team Bryony Roberts, Giulia Bianchini and Ethan Duffy
This project would not have been possible without the invaluable support of our funders of which we are immenselt grateful:
Joyce Carr Doherty Charitable Trust
The Dame Violet Wills Will Trust
Maureen Whitmore
Thanks to…
Camilla Adams for photography and project documentation
Matt, Jesse, and Jason at The Wardrobe Theatre
Rusti and Matt at Tobacco Factory Theatres
Lizzy Cummins
The Tobacco Factory Theatres and Travelling Light staff and trustees
The Old Market Assembly
And Barton Hill Academy and Merchant’s Academy Primary for their help in creating these wonderful characters.
To Find out more about the three stages of The Dahl Project see here
Or contact Giuls, giulia@travellinglighttheatre.org.uk
The Dahl Project: Phase Two
The Weird and Wonderful World of Bakarkington Academy