Students with a range of disabilities and needs created a best of British performance which brought the house down at Loughborough College recently.
The 14-strong group from the Transitions programme at the College began developing Queuing in the Rain in September last year, inspired by students’ impressions of what it means to be British – and even filmed spoof adverts for a commercial break.
Loughborough College Performing Arts tutor Vicki Calvert-Gooch said: “The students have complex and wide-ranging needs but they worked patiently together to devise and produce what turned out to be an outstanding performance.
“They wanted to build it around the idea of what it means to be British, so they began by interviewing students at the College who have moved to England from other countries, coming up with their own questions and taking detailed notes on everyone’s first impressions – from our obsession with the weather to fish and chips, street parties to The Great British Bake Off and queuing to red London buses.
“One of our students uses a wheelchair and an eye gaze to communicate and she was cast as the Queen – so we re-programmed her voice to give it a distinctly royal feel.
“We worked on improvising around the theme and from there the students wrote their script. The students also choreographed the dances – including a version of Singing in the Rain, which gave us our title, and Knees Up Mother Brown for a pub karaoke singalong.
“Over several months we also filmed two ‘TV’ ads for a commercial break – which got big laughs on the day. One was a Hovis ad but because we filmed over several months the bread kept changing from scene to scene. We also spoofed the Cillit Bang ad, with everyone insisting they were Barry Scott.
“The students used so many skills over the course of putting everything together – they even found their props and stage managed on the day – and the difference it made to their communication and confidence was fantastic to see. They really did work as an amazing team.
“We had a full house on the day including parents, carers, friends, staff and our Performing Arts students – who know the Transitions students well, with each group really supporting the other.
“It was such a happy and uplifting performance. The audience were thrilled – they couldn’t stop whooping and cheering – and every single cast member had a look of pure enjoyment on their face.”
Pictured: Loughborough College Transitions students perform Queuing in the Rain