ORACLE @ IAMS - 28 JANUARY 12

Hi I’m Corey. P.  I’m 16 years old and a member of Islington Community Theatre (who run the Oracle Project).  I’m also working as the Project Assistant for the IAMS Oracle. 

This week we were down to business; little did we know, the business would expand so much! Last week we had a beautiful family reunion, this week we saw the new family babies, although, they weren’t so much babies as they were grown kids with 10 times more energy. Luckily, me Tina and Ola got out alive.

We started, with early birds Leila and Turac being the first new faces to enter, siblings spent a bit of bonding time. More siblings came (old and new). We got settled down with a game of “Anyone who...” to learn more about each other, lone behold a few more new faces came, followed by the marvellous Ashley Grey with a couple of welcomed older students to sit in.... followed by a few new faces. By popular demand, we then started our Oracle Classic ‘Zip Zap Zoom’ building on our focus and energy. I’m not even lying to you.... MORE CAME!!! It’s safe to say I had considered whether or not it was a dream, I realised it wasn’t when I couldn’t magically make the room bigger for everyone, fortunately it wasn’t a nightmare either.... we got them to lie down as if they were sleeping next!!!!

Here, recapping on our theme of time and “I wish time could speed up!” the emphatic Ola set out just what our future masterpiece would be, for them all to imagine whilst lying down; it was quite impressive... obviously! Maybe lucky, maybe not, everyone still had tonnes too much energy to have fallen asleep whilst lying down, so we moved on to THE CREATION OF THE MASTERPIECE!!! Yes, our Kayne and Ashley’s helper (older student) Ola, started as the scientists and the group sculpted the spectacular opening to our play, through participation, loads of ideas and a scary amount of excitement. Working so well, we even got to work on a birthday scene after this, then we realised, there are now around 30 or so siblings in the IAMS Oracle Family alone, someone’s been getting busy.... going out doing workshops at schools. Who? You ask. NED!! The apparent celebrity known as Ned (the boss) came in; my ear drums almost burst from the energetic family reaction. Wow.  

Our family’s grown, we’ve made and casted a major part of our play, Tina’s stamina was tested when running up and down stairs to greet new members AND a celebrity graced us with their presence. There wasn’t anything anyone seemed to dislike. In fact, we should be quite afraid! Some of them, like new bro Cameron, wanted to fake a death a bit too much... Confidence grew within the group almost instantly, especially with the whole group being so welcoming, sadly a bit more when they knew they may be able to fake a death... seriously... But EVERYONE got into learning TWO other languages, all in one session, and having a bit of a sing song. No more will be said about this, you’ll just have to come and watch us perform it! One thing that was really interesting was the use of a beautifully designed prop and the ideas on how to use different props and audience interaction.

Yet again, everyone just wanted more time... I, personally, was a bit exhausted to be honest. Last week, the Oracle said the future looked Bright... It still does and that’s coming from a bigger Oracle!

ORACLE @ EGA - 26 JANUARY 12

Hi everyone,

I am Dvora - the EGA Oracle Project Director.

We had a fantastic session on Thursday. We played name games and then a variety of fun and imaginative storytelling exercises.

We pooled together our ideas and knowledge about the meaning of the word ‘oracle’. An oracle is a being that has offered divine wisdom since ancient times and foretells the future. We played 'the oracle' game and asked different questions to the oracle (one being made up of four people improvising together!)

Then, in family groups, the girls created scenes that depicted a particular dilemma and then went to consult an oracle for advice and guidance. The scenes were funny, creative and thoughtful - well done!

I look very forward to developing our ideas during our next session.

Dvora 

ORACLE @ IAMS - 21 JANUARY 12

Hi I’m Corey. P. I’m 16 years old and a member of Islington Community Theatre (who run the Oracle Project). I’m also working as the Project Assistant for the IAMS Oracle.

Raring to go, on our second week at the next level as theatre makers, it was a truly beautiful reunion (having seen all the welcomed faces that sadly missed last week) and it was definitely great for the up and coming masterpiece of an IAMS Oracle show! We came eager, to start, talking about our looming performance in March and how we’re going to make it AMAZING... obviously. Adding to our pre-existing timeline, each of us was made fully up to date on all that we may, or may not, have missed, Zara and Eve giving a quite impressive speech on the subject. With our sights set on the deadline, we were ready: we got stuck into the second game ever, as a company, of ‘Bomb and Shield’. More popular than before, the explosion of energy was almost overwhelming. This actually grew!! We went straight into two IAMS Oracle classics: ‘Zip zap zoom’, for focus and energy, and ‘Splat’, for focus and a bit more energy.... infectious energy. Everyone was so focused and ready to win, Eve getting to the final in BOTH ‘Splat’ and ‘Zip zap zoom’, but eventually losing out to Kane in ‘Zip’ and Alex in ‘Splat’; but hey, we’re all winners!!

We came Prepared. Having last week worked on the theme “I wish time could speed up!”, we continued this. Splitting everyone into families (Jordanne getting her ‘Speedos’ back!!), we each saw families of the different roles, carried over from last week, work together: the musicians worked with the physical actors; the soundscape/ environment creators worked with the Narrators. It was great seeing how things and our family are developing towards our...looming masterpiece... I guess we’re just all multi-talented!

Everyone really enjoyed all of the warm up activities, especially ‘Splat’ where the group seemed a bit too good at their dramatic deaths, fortunately these were fake, no one died. We just all wished we had a LONGER Session to really build on our performances. I guess time just flies, what are the Consequences of this? That’s something you might just have to wait to see in March!!!The session gave us some great ideas for our show. One thing that was really effective was the transition we saw between seeing music telling the physical actors’ story, then spoken narration being supported by a well thought out soundscape. Next week, Masterpiece: week 3! As if that’s not enough, what family will get the most House points? Finally, to answer last week’s question, together again, the Oracle says.... The New Year looks bright....



ORACLE @ EGA - 19 JANUARY 12

Hi everyone!

I’m Phoebe, I’m seventeen years old and I’m assisting Dvora, our new director this term, with the EGA Oracle Project.

While everybody was arriving and settling down the girls had to tell a partner 3 things they did at different times during the day and what they might like to be in the future.   Then, after Ned had introduced Dvora and the new year sixes to the group, we played some name games and warm up exercises.

In new pairs they told a memory then one person took the job of the ‘sculptor’ and moved their partner into a position that replicated that memory. Once frozen in those positions the girls took it in turns to thought track.  The memories were great and ranged from a first nightmare, to a scary meeting with a gorilla at the zoo.

Back in their families they picked a memory they had seen and created a scene around it.

To finish the session off we discussed occasions when we felt time moved quickly and slowly and created movement pieces to show this.

Well done everyone and see you next week

Phoebe 



ORACLE @ IAMS - 14 JANUARY 12

Hi I’m Corey. P.  I’m 16 years old and a member of Islington Community Theatre (who run the Oracle Project).  I’m also working as the Project Assistant for the IAMS Oracle.

Together again, after a long Christmas, we had yet another great session this week.  We were busy welcoming back each other whilst encouraging team work and collaboration. We were trying to do all this whilst building on previous work we’ve done to do with time (some of which I sadly missed due to injury). We played 4 games!! First, ‘zip zap zoom’ for rhythm, focus and energy, then a game called ‘Change the action’ which requires a great deal of focus but proved to be, just a little, more difficult than expected. Following this game was one named ‘Bomb and Shield’, rest assured it was only explosive in energy, finally we played ‘falling trees’ to enhance the trust within our overall IAMS Oracle Family. Everyone was so focused and responsive.  Then we got stuck into working on the theme “I wish time could speed up!”, splitting everyone into families (poor Jordanne having to join another as her fellow ‘Speedos’ weren’t present)  where we each focused on different elements of a play showing this emotion: roles included Musicians, Playwrights/ Dialogue Writers, Soundscape/Environment Creators and Narrators. It was so interesting and exciting seeing how these linked together and could go towards our final performance!

 Everyone really enjoyed the ‘Bomb and Shield’, and really seemed to take well to the trust involved in ‘Falling Trees’. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see a group take the role of physical actors as not enough people/ groups were present. Get well soon guys and get back ASAP!! We Miss you!!! The session gave us some great ideas for our show.  One thing that was really effective was the fact that a soundscape could actually tell the story without us seeing a thing; the narration also really made us imagine the story and setting. But, timing was Amazing, with an, ever so slightly, late start, we managed to get through everything with relative ease.... Go Ola!! Next week we greatly look forward to seeing some more familiar faces! As if that’s not enough, we’ve all already moved up a level in our skills, but who will get the most House points? Finally, it has to be said.... Welcome back all!! What will the New Year bring?