The lack of social connection has left children in a place where they’re hungry for engagement
‘When I was eight, I joined my local Youth Theatre and discovered a place where I could play, be listened to, be respected, and explore ideas’ said Fran of the Small but Mighty theatre company.
Frances Godsal started the Small but Mighty group in 2018 and it has been growing ever since. ‘I thought I wanted to be an actor’, said Fran. ‘What I didn’t realise was that this was so important to me that I wanted it for other people too. My parents then moved to the depths of rural Somerset where I missed Drama passionately, becoming a horribly grumpy teenager. After writing plaintive letters asking how to audition and rehearsing in my bedroom, I got through and joined the National Youth Theatre when I was 15. It was transformative. There were children there from all over the UK, with diverse experiences and backgrounds and we became completely connected through a shared project – I’m still in touch with some of them now!’
After an English Degree, and training at the Central School of Speech and Drama Fran became a freelance performer and Secondary School Drama Teacher. She gradually started working in Primary schools too and loved it. Four years ago, she left mainstream education to work as a director, performer and to set up Small But Mighty.
Small But Mighty is a Young People’s Theatre Company committed to providing a nurturing environment where students develop the skills and creativity to become dynamic theatre practitioners and confident young people.
Small But Mighty exists for young people to make theatre that will be enjoyed by a wider audience. We’re ambitious to produce genuinely innovative performances that the children have a stake in. We’re not a big company, we have small classes which keeps things safe and manageable, but also means we can really give children the individual space and attention they need.
There is a focus on nurture, and developing knowledge, skills and independence as well as producing excellent performance. I don’t want to just drill the students to produce a perfect production, I want them to know how to come up with one themselves. Because we’re small we can experiment with all kinds of theatre – I want the children to feel equally at home making their own devised performance, playing with Shakespeare and older plays, and exploring new plays. For example, one of my students said they wanted to do a musical theatre-based summer course, so I’ve asked an incredible colleague to collaborate with me in the Summer on our ‘Play in a Week’ course.
For younger children, lessons are an immersive experience; we might travel under the sea, explore space, walk through an enchanted wood, or visit a magic library. We use puppetry, tactile play, movement, games and stories to build confidence in social skills and collaboration; and develop a love of performance
Courtesy of Didcot Railway
Lockdown has been difficult
Lockdown was difficult and although Fran ran online classes during the Covid pandemic, she and her students are delighted to be back in person once again.
‘When the first Lockdown hit, we were in the middle of rehearsals for a sequel to the Tempest that we had created. Suddenly our dreams of an immersive, Island performance had to stop, and I quickly realised that with the turbulence around us there was a definite need to be present and available for the children online. In the midst of the disruption, the children needed something consistent and playful. We worked on clowning, puppet making, devising plays, making interactive plays where the audience choose outcomes. We also tried to process the challenging events going on and reframe them’.
In the last year Small but Mighty have participated in the award-winning Company 3 Coronavirus Timecapsule Project, making weekly films about teenager’s experiences of lockdown. The project was so powerful it has been archived by the BFI.
‘The children have been amazingly creative online, developing filmed performances, from a play created by rolling a dice to plays by established playwrights. Our 11+ group have worked on Steph Smith’s haunting reflection on loneliness, The Pack, while our younger group have enjoyed playing with expectations and challenging stereotypes in Bea Webster’s Is This a Fairytale. It’s been amazing how people have reached out and we’ve found ourselves collaborating with Youth Theatres from as far afield as Croatia and the United States, and with children from across the UK.
BACK TOGETHER AGAIN
As creative and interactive as Small but Mighty have been able to be online, there is no denying that they were definitely ready to get back to face to face. ‘The lack of social connection has left children in a place where they’re hungry for engagement, for community, and contact. We want to get back together again and use our enthusiasm to support our community as a whole’ said Fran.
GET INVOLVED
In term time we offer Weekly Classes for 4-6, 7-10, and 11-16 year olds, and next academic year we will also be opening up training classes for 16+ year olds and adult classes.
Classes operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and we will soon be offering Saturday morning sessions. We offer FREE TASTER sessions to see whether you enjoy our classes.
This Summer we have lots of exciting things going on!
From the 2nd – 6th August we’re offering a ‘Put on a Play in a Week’ for 8 – 14 year olds, that will culminate in a performance to friends and family.
Then on the 17th, 18th and 19th August we’ll be doing Themed performance days for 7-10 year olds. You could come on a treasure seeking mission on the Enchanted Island, learn clowning skills and experience the wonders of the big top at ‘The Circus’, or attend Astronaut training school. Each day is packed with activities, with a small performance at the end. Imagine, play, sing, dance, and learn important Drama skills along the way – developing focus, communication skills and confidence. Come on one, two, or all of the days.
PHOTO'S BY: JESSIE WHEALLY
Why is Drama Great for Children and Young People?
Drama is valuable for everyone, whether you want to become a neurosurgeon, a policeman, a teacher or an actor! We can help you learn…
- To work in a team so you can express and communicate your ideas, negotiate and adapt.
- To make mistakes in an accepting space and view them as an important and valuable part of learning.
- To problem solve on your feet.
- To have high expectations of ourselves.
Courses will take place in our usual rehearsal space at Eynsham Baptist Church Hall
