Culture in Quarantine




Culture in Quarantine | Live Performances in your Living Room
Share
KLASS Blog

Macbeth & Lady Macbeth gaze

During this period of restricted movement, families are spending much more time together at home. When previously, we may have spent Saturday evening seeing the latest blockbuster at the cinema now we look to Netflix for our cinema fix. But what about the other art forms that previously fulfilled our creative needs and our desire to consider the world from different viewpoints. 

How can we turn to art to reflect the world we live in when galleries are shut?

With our wonderful Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra subject to the MCO (Movement Control Order), how might we soothe our souls with live music? 

With two meter social distancing in place, what role can theatre play in our lives?

Luckily, the arts community the world over have responded to these unprecedented times with innovation and generosity by sharing their work online. 

Read on for ideas of how you and your family can get your artistic fix during this period of cultural quarantine.

Theatre

  • The UK’s National Theatre is streaming some of their best loved theatre productions of recent years, including the deliriously funny One Man, Two Guvnors, Richard Bean’s 2011 adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s comedy, with a cast including James Corden. In the following weeks you can see stage adaptations of Jane Eyre, Treasure Island and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
  • Family favourite The Wind in the Willows was staged at the London Palladium in 2017 with Rufus Hound wearing 50 shades of green as Mr Toad. It’s available to stream online for free, with the option to donate to help provide financial and emotional support to theatre workers.
  • All four productions in Classic Spring’s starry Oscar Wilde season in the West End can be watched on the online service Marquee TV, which is offering a 30-day free trial. Productions include Sophie Thompson horrified by theatre’s most famous handbag in The Importance of Being Earnest. Year 8 students regularly perform the Gwendolene and Cecily duologue from the play for their Status Scripts drama assessment. Here is your chance to consider if the professionals have a patch on KLASS students.
  • You have to hunt to find full theatre productions for very young audiences online so here’s a little treat: to mark World Day of Theatre for Children on 20 March the lovely Egg in Bath, UK has released their wintry 40-minute tale Snow Mouse for the under-fours.
  • If musicals or ballet are your thing, stream Broadway shows for free! BroadwayHD are currently offering a 7 day free trial.
  • Finally, those of you who were lucky enough to see EP’s December performances of our Shakespeare Double Bill: The Tempest and Macbeth click the link to relive some Shakespearean magic. Those of you who missed out, now’s your chance!
  • Let the Drama team know what you’ve watched and send us a review to drama.ep@alice-smith.edu.my. Follow @KLASS_Drama for more online theatre suggestions

Music

  • If you are missing the Music departments’ drum kits, Ollie Tunmer (former ‘Stomp’ cast member) is live streaming free Body Percussion videos - fun for the whole family! Or if you’ve always wanted to build your own drum kit? Try the amazing free resources from Little Kids Rock - don’t be fooled, it’s for big kids too!
  • Always wanted to learn ukulele? Got a keyboard or piano that you wish you could play? Try these online lessons.
  • If your tastes are more highbrow, nightly live streams from the Metropolitan Opera are here. Verdi’s Macbeth is a favourite of the EP Drama team.
  • If you’re missing the outdoors as well as music, why not try music au naturel. Use these to make up your own song, dance and percussion routine. Listen to the birds! Try a Whale songs call and response.
  • Share your creations with the music teams - @KLASS_JBMusic and @KLASS_EPMusic

Art

  • Ever wanted to visit NYC’s The Met or Paris’ The Lourve, well now is your chance, without even leaving your house. Both art galleries have online tours - just click the links.
  • If you are keen to get artistic yourselves our very own Ms Powell has recorded observational drawing video tutorials here. Fun for all the family!
  • Send a tweet of your work to @KLASS_JBArt.

Dance

  • If your feet are itching to move and you are feeling inspired by this viral video doing the rounds, why not check out some of these:
  • Learn to dance Lindy Hop in your living room, and listen to some great music while you dance!
  • Dance like a bird and create a funky rhythm with your partner.
  • Choreographer Victor Sho shares his various dance tutorials. I heard a rumour this is where Mr Biring learns his moves…
  • If your tastes are more avant-garde, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker talks you through how to perform her 1983 classic Rosas Danst Rosas. All you need is a chair, a bit of legroom and enough space to swing your hair.

Finally, you may be interested to know our very own Niamh Walsh, alumna of 2005 and previous Head Student is currently starring in Netflix’s new period drama The English Game. Niamh is making everyone at Alice Smith School very proud and is an inspiration to our current Drama students.

Let us know how you get on.

Author: Holly Sullivan, Head of Creative and Expressive Arts Faculty

 

Primary Virtual Learning