Bassett

On Friday I, along with another teacher, took 37 year 11 and 10 students to see a play called Bassett. It was put on by State Drama students in association with the Department of Education. The actors were in year 11 and did an amazing job with some pretty heavy themes.

Bassett follows an hour in the life of a class of students who are locked in their classroom after they were particularly horrible to their supply teacher. The thing about these kids is that they live in the town of Bassett in England where the bodies of English soldiers who are brought back from Afghanistan are driven from the airport through the middle of town to a hospital. The people of Bassett one day, began to come out into the street when the bodies were driven through their town to pay their respects.

This particular day, the body of an ex-student of their school is being brought home and the students who have been locked in the classroom claim to know him. Leo, the central character and the most aggressive character claims that Charlie was his mate. As the hour goes on, the students become more and more frustrated as they want to be down on the street as the soldiers are driven through. Different points of view come out over the course of the hour, some agreeing with the war, some saying they don’t think it’s doing any good, and one from a Muslim student, which particularly aggravates Leo.

The final scene is extremely intense, where we see Leo snap and begin to humiliate the students, making them lay on top of one another, forcing once student to stand on a table, drop his pants, and put a shirt over his face. Many of the acts echo those of the American soldiers who were found to be humiliating and torturing prisoners of war.

The year 11 actors produced amazing emotional performances, nearly having me in tears and their characters were extremely powerful. They are to be commended for their efforts and talent. I recommend you all go and see this play.

The year 11 students we took were amazing, extremely well behaved, even when we were forced to evacuate the train on the way back, making us 2 hours late arriving back to school. They also really enjoyed the play and got a lot out of it.

It was, all in all, a great excursion, even if it was pouring rain.

Lack of Sleep= Lack of Posts

Hey friends.

So sorry for the lack of posting, I seem to say that every time I post. Maybe we should just all accept that I’m going to be one of those intermittent posters. Anyway, I’ve been posting for Bonnie on her blog every Sunday, my section is called Sunday Sessions and I write about teaching different novels at school. My posts have been fairly well received so it would seem so if you wish to check them out head on over to Bookish Ardour and check out the rest of her blog too…it’s tres cool.

Sooo back to school yesterday. Did a 12.5 hour day! Woohoo! And who says teachers work 9-3? Seriously if you say that I’ll punch you. Yep 12.5 hours of which I think I only got paid for around the 7 hour mark. Oh the life. I tell you, being a teacher is living it up! Today was the first day back of classes and I hate to say it, but I missed those little crazy kids. They were all just so happy to be crapping on at me about their holidays it was hard to resent them for making me get up at 6am and drag my ass into school.

It’s going to be a long week but I have an excursion on Friday to see a play called Bassett which is apparently pretty damn good. I shall write a informal review for you once I have seen it and asked year 11 how they found it.

Not much else to report from the bunker. I rewatched season one of Community in the holidays with Bonnie, if you have not seen it, you must! Here is a little clip to get you hooked…

So hilarious, a definite must watch.

Hope you’re all enjoying your lives.