Trip To London & Coventry
After its first successful production of Neil Simon’s CALIFORNIA SUITE in January 2019, the English Drama Group embarked on its second play BOXED UP which was performed in January 2020.
After the performances in Germany, there followed a trip to London and to the drama department at Coventry University followed, including a performance of the play in Coventry.
On this journey the cast of BOXED UP had the opportunity to meet many different theatre professionals and students from the University of Coventry, participate in different workshops and watch a variety of plays.
DAY 1: Buttferly Theatre and THE GREAT GATSBY
• Morning: Meisner acting workshop with Aileen Gonsalves from the Butterfly Theatre Company
• Afternoon: Rehearsal run-through & Q&A with Oliver Towse, lead actor in THE GREAT GATSBY
• Evening: Visit performance of immersive theatre production of THE GREAT GATSBY
Day 2: Meeting with Joe Robertson from THE JUNGLE & Visit to Elizabeth Samuels
Theatre School
• Morning: Meeting and discussion with Joe Robertson, the author of THE JUNGLE – a play about the Calais
refugee camp
• Afternoon: Visiting Sam Blake and his Elizabeth Samuels Theatre School – watching a drama lesson with
primary school children
• Evening: Visit to the musical theatre production of COME FROM AWAY
DAY 3: Sightseeing in London & Workshop at Shakespeare‘s Globe
• Morning: Sightseeing in London & exploring the city
• Afternoon: tour at Shakespeare‘s Globe Theatre & Shakespeare Workshop
• Evening: Journey to Coventry
Day 4: Guest Performance of BOXED UP in Coventry
• Morning: Meeting Ed Hartland (writer of BOXED UP) and rehearsing the play in a new location
• Afternoon: run-through of the play
• Evening: performance of BOXED UP in front of students and professors of the University of Coventry
DAY 5: Visit to Coventry & Physical Theatre Workshop with Frantic Assembly
• Morning: Sightseeing in Coventry
• Afternoon: Workshop with the world famous physical theatre company Frantic Assembly
• Evening: Visit to musical night at Coventry University
Day 6: Visit to Stratford-uon-Avon & the Royal Shakespeare Company
• Morning: Visit to Stratford-upon-Avon & Shakespeare‘s birthplace
• Afternoon: Backstage tour at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)
• Evening: Visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company production of KING JOHN
Still unsure about joining the EDG? Here is what some members of the cast had to say about the trip to London and Coventry:
»These days in England made it more than obvious what theatre can be: a bridge built between different cultures, creating one community getting enjoyment from the
presentation of dramatic art.« (Malte Borgfeldt)
»Meeting all these people who are involved in the most different ways with the theatre, seeing a lot of plays and performing our play for English students showed us that
theatre is more than just the presentation of a work of art; It also serves to bring people together, which is particularly relevant in these times of Brexit.« (Adrian Ammon)
»Our trip to London and Coventry was fantastic! I cannot express how thankful I am for all the new experiences we had and all the wonderful inspiring people we met along
the way. We all share the love and passion for theatre in a variety of ways. « (Michaela Bastian)
Meeting different people who all share their love for the theatre was highly inspiring. It was very interesting and enriching to meet English theatre students, to present our
play to them and to discuss their impressions and reactions afterwards. All in all, I loved getting an insight into theatre work in another country.« (Anna Merz)
»All the world’s a stage... I think this is what I experienced throughout our whole trip. We were so lucky to meet a number of amazing and inspiring people who are closely involved in various ways with the theatre and we were able to see a different kind of play each night, which was also very interesting. On the one hand, I think I got a deeper insight into the "technical" side of theatre work by watching these different plays and comparing them (for example the different stages, the use of lighting and costumes, the ways of storytelling,... ) and on the other hand, I was so deeply moved by what I saw, which brought home to me the power of dramatic art and why I love it so much. This trip was so enriching on so many different levels – it was simply one of the best experiences I have ever had during my time at university!« (Verena Käss)
»For me the most inspiring thing about our trip to England was to see all these people coming together to share their passion for dramatic art. I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to see and experience the dedication other people have when it comes to the theatre. Even though we didn't know each other, I felt a very special connection to all these people because we were all there for the same reason: we all love the theatre in our own individual way and we want to share this love with people all around the world!« (Nathalie Wirth)