Kids create right drama

Jun 19 2009 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

kids create right drama

WHEN Gartmore Primary pupils created a musical play on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, they decided to perform it at one of her former homes – Stirling Castle!

The 20 children from P4-7 had given a sneak preview of the performance at Gartmore Village Hall the evening before but last week, they had the opportunity to perform it in the historic Chapel Royal in front of an audience of parents, teachers and invited guests from the local community.

The children wrote the script, music and lyrics themselves helped by Rosie Locke, BBC sub-principal flute player with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and a parent of a Gartmore Primary pupil, teacher Liz McCormick, parents Eileen and Steve Calveley and poet and scriptwriter Alan Dunn.

Rosie said: “Last summer, the children of Gartmore Primary School put on a fantastic musical, Yanomamo. As a parent of a then P3 pupil, I was struck and inspired by how much the children had learned in such a short space of time, and how incredibly well they had performed the piece.

“This led me to thinking ‘What on earth can they do next, after something so wonderful?’ Almost immediately, I thought of the idea of them creating something completely from scratch, where they chose their subject with their own script, song lyrics and melodies. I put the idea to the teacher of the composite P4-7 class, Liz McCormick who, along with the school, backed the idea enthusiastically from the outset and without whose help and support it would not have been possible.

“I think we all felt quite daunted by the task in hand at times throughout the year, but I hope the children will feel truly proud of what I think has been an amazing collaborative effort.”