The Torch Olympic Drama Project at Chichester Cathedral
Scene Change Theatre Company took “The Torch Olympic Drama Project” to Chichester Cathedral on Thursday to work with 100 children from local schools. The day started with a warm up to train the children to become Greek Warriors. The children learnt how the ancient Olympics were born out of conflict and war in Greece. A different way was found to settle nation states differences by competing in an athletic event rather than fight. The performance starts with a battle between the war hungry Spartans and the more cultured and artistic Athenians. The Gods, played by 4 children debate whether there is any human spirit of value left in the games. Only Prometheus is there to defend humanity and we see the story of an unsung hero William Penny Brooke’s whose vision to reinstate the Olympics in Athens was eventually taken up by Pierre De Coubertin. Brooke’s was never recognised by De Coubertin but this unsung hero has been recognised at the 2012 games with one of the mascots bearing the name of his home town Much Wenlock where he started
the first games in 1850. The day was made more special by one boy called Luke who came with a gold medal which he had won at the Wenlock Games. It turns out he was the son of one of my good school friends from Much Wenlock who came to the performance. The play goes on to explore the stories of other unsung heroes until eventually the Gods must decide whether there still remains a human spirit in the games or not and whether to give back the flame and so allow the opening ceremony to take place. The children put on an excellent performance to a sizeable audience of parents and Cathedral visitors. Marilyn the Chichester Cathedral Education Officer exclaimed at the end, “That was the best ever.” Having performed projects at Chichester Cathedral since 2007 that was a great compliment to kick off our tour. More photos of the day will follow once permissions have been attained.
