Spanner in the Works started in 1997, with the help of a grant from the Arts Council, through the National Lottery. Darren Rapier is the Artistic Director and we have a team of experienced workshop leaders and industry professionals who work with us to deliver our workshops.
Our first production was the musical SMOKE, at the Union Theatre, London and subsequently we have produced WORLDS APART at the Brockley Jack Theatre and a number of short films. We have also produced many productions within or through our workshops with non-professional actors and/or students.
Since we started we have run workshops in schools, museums and hospitals as well as producing community projects. Over 5000 people have benefited from these workshops, which have included large scale performances, film and CD projects and educational music and drama sessions, as well as team building inset days.
We are currently continuing our long term working at Guy’s hospital, with the adolescent psychiatric unit Snowsfields, where we have been running drama workshops for the past ten years. We run workshops through education and health departments and in conjunction with other arts organisations. The Riverscross project is a development of our relationship with the unit at Guy's (see below).
EDUCATING
In schools and colleges we offer a wide range of DRAMA BASED WORKSHOPS. These are designed to aid education of drama and non-drama subjects through drama techniques. They have been used to help SATS, GCSE, ‘A’ Level and degree students. These workshops are cross-curricular and may enhance science, history, English and PHSE as well as many other areas. Workshops can take many forms, such as role play, classroom based activities, practical exercises, reminiscence work and lectures.
Subjects covered have included: THE VICTORIANS, THE TUDORS, LITERACY (focusing on a specific book or play), BIOGRAPHIES, SHAKESPEARE, STORYTELLING, COMMUNICATIONS, WORLD MUSIC and many more.
We also run more specifically arts based workshops in stage craft such as WRITING, ACTING, MUSIC AND DRAMA, STAGE FIGHTING, DEVISING, PHYSICAL THEATRE, DIRECTING, FILM MAKING, and TECHNICAL THEATRE.
Venues for the workshops have included schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, museums, youth clubs, residential homes and special centres.
Children at The Livesey Museum, with Tony Coult
ENTERTAINING
Our initial production was of the musical SMOKE, set in 1860s London amidst the onslaught of the Railways. Time Out described the play as: “…ingenious, yet ironic and very entertaining…”, and The Stage “…a surprisingly sophisticated piece…”
In association with Whatever Pictures Spanner in the Works have produced the short films THE RACE, IT IS and the comedy ATTACK OF THE KILLER MICE.
Ewan Thomson and James Fraser at The Union Theatre SE1
Yet we do not only produce work for professional artists. Our FIVE DAY FILM PROJECT, and CD PROJECT are designed for anyone with an interest in creating a lasting record of their work. Participants are taken through the creative process from the conception of the idea through to production, working with practitioners from all aspects.
We also produce large scale school and educational productions, where participants create and devise their own show performing at a theatre or community venue.
INSPIRING
For staff training we offer TEAM BUILDING and other workshops. We can facilitate full training days or fit into planned days with one of our SPECIALISED WORKSHOPS. These may be as ICE BREAKERS or to target a specific area of interest for the training day. Our staff training workshops can also offer training in USING DRAMA AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL, giving participants practical exercises and advice that they can use immediately with their own students.
Our DEVISED THEATRE PERFORMANCE projects, for all ages, have been a very successful part of our work. Classes with one school or from several schools start from scratch and devise scenes, which then slot together to form a full performance. The end results have included various forms and styles of theatre, music and dance.
The FILM PROJECT looks at all aspects of film including scripting, storyboarding, planning, music, acting, sound and lighting, right through to filming. Whilst our spoken word CD PROJECT allows participants to learn about writing, performing and recording. At the end of each project they will have produced an audio CD or VIDEO, which may include drama, documentary, poetry, music or songs. A project like THE POOL at Guy’s hospital included all of these.
THE POOL (audio CD) and BRIDGES (Video) are available as examples of outcomes of these projects and copies can be supplied if required.
Our latest three year soap opera project incorporates a range of skills development and cross-curricular and social education. This has been a very successful project marrying creative education and skills with social and professional development for the young people involved. To find out more click here.