Arts are back in school muthertruckers

Last week it was announced that the UK government is changing school curriculums to ensure that kids are leaving school

​"fully equipped to thrive in the modern world of work"​

YES -

This means

some huge wins for the Arts in schools:

• Michael Gove's 15 yr old no-arts Ebacc has been deemed a failure and scrapped. a bye bye 👋
• Arts GCSEs now get equal status to humanities and languages. boom.
• All students get guaranteed access to arts activities through a new "core enrichment entitlement". boom.
• Drama curriculum is stronger in primary and early secondary school. boom.
• Schools will be inspected (by Ofsted) on whether they're providing arts opportunities
• Parents can see what arts activities schools offer through new "school profiles"

In a world full of arts cuts and de-funding this is something wonderful and should be celebrated hard.

As Beth Steel put it,

Well done and thank you to all the many who petitioned and lobbied the government for this over the years.

Next in the line of fire, Spotlight's corrupt Tax on Hope.

Should I go Method?

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I've spent lots and lots of time looking at scripts and thinking I'm not smart enough to play a character

I'm not witty enough

not happy enough

not sad enough

I haven't grieved enough

I've never been to prison

I don't know what its like to be a killer

I'm not experienced in life enough.

So how can I possibly play this character honestly.

But that is fundamentally untrue.

At some point between now and the moment I was born I have been, and will be almost everything.

When I look at my little girl, I see that she has gone through most all of the emotions we are capable of feeling, before breakfast.

When I wake from a dream in which i've committed a serious crime, I know what deep, remorseful guilt feels like. (+ soon after what lung opening relief feels like too)

And when I hear the song I listened to the day before proposing to my wife, I am reminded what it feels like to be plagued by a odd, heady cocktail of nervousness and absolute certainty. Something so special in its contradiction, that it almost feels untrue.

But it is not untrue

It is a special little truth that resides (and always has) in a place deep within. Where the echoes of my life are swept.

So yes, we have been all these things at one time or another, in one form or another.

And yes, they have never been forgotten.

They await within us, waiting to be surfaced and remembered.

You know it to be true:

You are large. You contain multitudes.

Everything you need is within you.

It's just about knowing where to look.

Bill Duke speaks about this in the video below.

Watch if you are interested in

What techniques do our high profile actors use?

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I found myself wanting to flick one or two of them in the face, but over eagerly high five some others. A reminder of just how many weird and wonderful ways there are to take the skin off a cat.

This week's film recommendation:

​Adaptation dir. Spike Jonze
writ. Charlie Kaufman.

What it did for me:

• Forced me to confront the question "is what I make original?" (and does it even matter)
• Another amazing Nicholas Cage trip - a relatively understated Nic Cage trip (see below.)

What can it do for you?

• Great for anyone at the beginning of their writing journey (or interested in starting)
• It makes you question what you think you are allowed to do with your art
• and then see that you can really go anywhere you want (just like Kaufman).

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​find the full film here.​

Reader Win

A pal of mine is setting up a voice booth in his home

There a few things he needs to put in place before recording.

He could have easily stalled and stalled and stalled, with the safe refrain "i'll start when the circumstances are right"

But he didn't

Immediately after we rang off, he opened his phone and recorded a piece of his own writing. Which was fucking brilliant i can tell you that much for free.

And now he's begun.

Taken the leap.

And just you try and stop him.

We'll done mate.

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Start before your ready.

You're full of possibilities.

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Happy Monday. Have a great week.

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A x

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