Testimonials

Testimonials

This section of the site shows the testimonials that ART has received in its short history. We have received television coverage (twice) in Poland. In addition, we were favourably covered in newspapers and on radio programmes in Poland and the Czech Republic. Schools we visited also wrote to us praising our efforts and awarded certificates to the individual actors– some of the certificates are shown here. We have also received newspaper coverage in the Oxford Mail.

These testimonials are shown below.
We were also ‘followed’ on one of our visits and an edited version of our workshops appeared on national TV in Poland. This is shown below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=5&v=M-r9Qm8Wvsk

A longer documentary was made when we returned in 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2573&v=7qFShMWU6jA

Certificates

photo 1 photo 2

photo 3 photo 4

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From Great Britain to Wejherowo

A.R.T. for Sobieski – a theatre in secondary school no 1

Members of Almost Random Theatre from Oxford have run drama workshops titled “A.R.T. for Sobieski” in Jan Sobieski III secondary school in Wejherowo.

Chris Sivewright, a founder of Almost Random Theatre, and Katarzyna Bojke, an English teacher who took part in a teacher training course in Oxford in July, initiated the project. Laura Boone, Richard Ward and Laura Boone came to Poland. All of them are share a passion for  theatre. The project accomplishment was possible thanks to the cooperation of the school head and all English teachers and Alumni Association funding.

The aims of the project were not only developing creativity and artistic talents of young people, but also improving their language skills by interaction with native speakers.

Every morning, Almost Random Theatre members were running drama workshops in four groups of about 15 students. After that all the groups came together to present the results of their work. The guests from Great Britain also conducted lessons of English in the afternoons. On the whole, there were more than 200 students who participated in the project.

The British were happy with their stay in Poland. They were impressed with Wejherowo, especially the Calvary. They visited Tricity and Hel Peninsula.

For students drama workshops were a great opportunity to check their English and also work in a team. Improvisations on the last day of the project were a chance to present their acting abilities. The students appreciated great atmosphere during workshops and British sense of humour.

Rozwijali talenty z Anglikami

Nauczycielka Katarzyna Bojke po wizycie w Oksfordzie na szkoleniu Comeniusa zainicjowała nowy projekt, aktywizujący uczniów w kontaktach międzynarodowych.

W I Liceum Ogólnokształcącym im. króla Jana III Sobieskiego w Wejherowie zorganizowano niecodzienne przedsięwzięcie. Członkowie grupy teatralnej Almost Random Theatre z Oksfordu przeprowadzili cykl warsztatów teatralno-językowych pod hasłem „A.R.T. for Sobieski”. Pomysłodawcą projektu był Chris Sivewright, założyciel Almost Random Theatre i Katarzyna Bojke, nauczycielka języka angielskiego. Sam pomysł narodził się w lipcu podczas szkolenia w Oksfordzie, w którym uczestniczyła Katarzyna Bojke. Oprócz Chrisa Sivewright, do Polski przyjechała Laura Boone, Richard WardiSteveWalker.

- Są to ludzie, których łączy entuzjazm, pasja i miłość do teatru – wyjaśnia nauczycielka. – A realizacja całego przedsięwzięcia była możliwa dzięki dyrekcji szkoły i zaangażowaniu nauczycieli angielskiego.

Celem projektu było rozwijanie talentów artystycznych młodzieży oraz doskonalenie umiejętności językowych poprzez aktywny kontakt z „native speakers”. Codziennie przez trzy godziny lekcyjne członkowie Almost Random Theatre prowadzili warsztaty teatralne w czterech grupach 15-osobowych. Potem zespoły spotykały się i przedstawiały efekty swojej pracy w formie krótkich przedstawień. Oprócz warsztatów, goście z Wielkiej Brytanii prowadzili lekcje języka angielskiego. W sumie uczestnikami projektu było ponad 200 uczniów.

– Anglicy uznali pobyt w Polsce za bardzo udany – dodaje nauczycielka. – Wejherowo i Kalwaria zrobiły na nich duże wrażenie.

Goście zwiedzili Muzeum Miasta Gdyni, molo w Sopocie, wystawę „Drogi do wolności” w Gdańsku i Półwysep Helski oraz zobaczyli spektakl „39 stopni” w Teatrze Muzycznym w Gdyni.

Warsztaty teatralne były dla uczniów okazją do sprawdzenia swoich umiejętności językowych. Młodzież podkreślała, że lekcje języka angielskiego przyczyniły się do rozwinięcia ich zdolności komunikacyjnych, a także pogłębienia wiedzy na temat aspektów kultury Zjednoczonego Królestwa. Stowarzyszenie Absolwentów wsparło finansowo projekt.

Develop talents from the British

Teacher Catherine scrimmage after a visit to Oxford on training Comenius launched a new project, activating students in international relations.

WI High School. King Jan III Sobieski in Wejherowo organized an unusual project.Members of the theater group Almost Random Theatre at Oxford conducted a series of workshops, theater and language under the motto “ART for Sobieski.” originator of the project was Chris Sivewright , founder of Almost Random Theatre and Catherine fight, a teacher of English. The very idea was born in July during training in Oxford, attended by Catherine fight. Chris Sivewright addition, the Polish came Laura Boone, Richard Ward and Steve Walker .

- These are the people who have the enthusiasm, passion and love for the theater – the teacher explains. – A realization of the whole project was made possible by the involvement of school management and teachers of English.

The aim of the project was to develop their artistic talents of young people and improve their language skills through active contact with the “native speakers.” Every day for three hours per Almost Random Theatre members conducted theater workshops in four groups of 15 persons. Then the teams met and presented the results of their work in the form of short performances. In addition to the workshops, visitors from the UK conducted English lessons. In total, the participants were more than 200 students.

– Recognize the British stay in Poland for a very successful – the teacher adds. – Wejherowo and Calvary made a big impression on them.

Guests visited the Museum of the City of Gdynia, Sopot Pier, the exhibition “Roads to Freedom” in Gdansk and the Hel Peninsula and saw the performance of “39 degrees” in the Musical Theatre in Gdynia.

Theater workshops for students have an opportunity to test their language skills. Youth emphasized that English classes helped to develop their communication skills, and deepen their knowledge about the cultural aspects of the United Kingdom. Alumni Association supported the project financially.

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Dear Chris:

Thank you very much for the drama workshop you organized yesterday with my Spanish students. It was very interesting to see how my students interacted with your actors in a great series of improvised drama activities and games. Great experience!!!

Iñaki Tirapu

Coordinación Programas BEC

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Testimonials from Visit to Czech Republic 2013

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O návštěvě Almost Random Theatre píší Klára Sedláčková a Tomáš Bílek z Gymnázia pod Svatou Horou.

Netradiční způsob výuky anglického jazyka si vyzkoušeli studenti Gymnázia pod Svatou Horou. Třetí dubnový týden naši školu navštívili Chris Sivewright, Hugh Allison a Richard Ward, herci z anglického divadla Almost Random Theatre, kteří pracovali s našimi studenty na divadelním představení.

Během týdne se naši studenti učili improvizaci, tvorbě scénáře, tvůrčímu psaní, ale samozřejmě i herecké práci. Na Gymnázium pod Svatou Horou nic nezvyklého, pokud by ovšem jediným komunikačním prostředkem nebyl anglický jazyk.

Intenzivní dopolední práce našich hostů byla vystřídána odpolední návštěvou příbramských památek či hornického muzea.

Během týdne se i ti nejvíce ostýchaví studenti bezpečně rozmluvili. Stranou nezůstali ani maturanti, ti s našimi hosty pohovořili o životě ve Velké Británii, o svém vztahu k Shakespearovi, řeč přišla i na Margaret Thatcherovou.

Týdenní projekt byl pro naše studenty zábavou i poučením, ale hlavně velkou motivací k dalšímu studiu cizích jazyků.

Klára Sedláčková, Tomáš Bílek, Gymnázium pod Svatou Horou

The visit by Almost Random Theatre written by Klára Sedláčková and Tomas Bilek of the Holy Mountain High School.

Students of Gymnázium pod Svatou Horou had an opportunity to try unusual way of learning of the English Language. Our school was visited by Chris Sivewright, Hugh Allison and Richard Ward, actors from Almost Random Theatre who were working with our students teaching them to act during the third week in April.

Our students were learning to improvise, to write a script, to do creative writing and also acting of course. Nothing unusual at our school, the only communicative language was English, though.

Intensive work of our guests was compensated by the afternoon region sightseeing or seeing the Mining Museum.

Even the most timid students started talking during the week. The final year students did not stay aside, they joined the lessons about actor life in Great Britain, William Shakespeare, and also Margaret Thatcher.

The week project was entertainment and learning at the same time but mainly it was a motivation for the further study of the English language.

 

Klára Sedláčková, Tomáš Bílek, Gymnázium pod Svatou Horou

Oxford Mail – 7th August 2013

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Pint Sized Plays – 14th October 2013

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Play competition winners ring in the new

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3:08pm Thursday 9th January 2014

Six new plays in two days is a massive undertaking by anyone’s standards, let alone for someone who has a full-time job.

But having started the Random Theatre Company to showcase his own work, Chris Sivewright decided to give other wannabe playwrights the chance to stage their plays by running a national competition. The theme was ‘wellbeing and retreats’ and you’ll be able to see the results for yourself on Monday and Tuesday at the Burton Taylor Theatre.

The winners, and Chris’s own work, will be debuted for the first time right here in Oxford using professional actors.

This has definitely been a labour of love, but the wealth of entries surprised even Chris, because although the theme was fairly specific, the subject matter varied enormously.

“One submitted play was all about suicide as a retreat from life, while another featured soldiers retreating from a battle,” Chris laughs, “which obviously didn’t really fit in with our ‘wellbeing’ theme.”

Instead, the winners plays featured everything from a school assembly to extra-marital affairs, undercover cops, gangsters, homelessness and wife swapping, which should keep you all on the edge of your seats.

“It’s been a massive challenge,” Chris, a tutorial college teacher admits. “But a great way to involve everybody from the actors to the writers and directors in the finished product. So while it’s a big gamble, it’s something I really wanted to do, And where better than Oxford?”

Playwright Jonathan Skinner, whose entry Kind was a winner, said staging his play has been almost as exciting as winning the competition itself.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” he says. “And having a theme really helped creatively because the hardest thing is starting from scratch with a blank piece of paper. This gave you the stimulus and a deadline to work to which was really helpful.”

So what next? “I have since adapted Kind into a 45-minute radio play and a full-length one act stage show, so the future looks bright,” Jonathan grins. “But in the meantime I’ve got to get over my first night nerves, because although I’m not acting in it, I do get nervous.”

SEE IT
Two evenings of new drama – never performed before – by Almost Random Theatre take place on Monday and Tuesday at the Burton Taylor Studio. 01865 305305. oxfordplayhouse.com

 

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Burton Taylor Studios Comments Book 13/14 January 2014

Almost Random Theatre – new writing (13th January 2014)

Well done Chris – a good evening’s entertainment. Special mention for POOL BOY – pure Tennessee Williams – loved it.

Bravo Chris et al! (Esp. the last-minute stand-in – well discovered!)

 

Almost Random Theatre – new writing (14th January 2014)

SO FAR (1 PLAY) – GREAT!

Endearing Characters + witty dialogue in Transformation; well-acted!

Very good performance. Enjoyed it immensely.

Excellent + varied work – A great evening.

Stunning! Simply Stunning!

A splendid evening – totally inspiring

 

SAES Easter 2014

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