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The aim for the drama sessions this year was to move forward the work started in 2005 - use of puppetry, creative physical work, vocal expression and collaborative group work - and to introduce shadow puppetry, story-building and a more adaptive series of session plans. The opportunity to tailor sessions for differing ability groups was very welcome - allowing the RHSS and UK students to see how the work could be approached and adapted according to changing group sizes, ability levels and age range.

The work of 2005 was referenced rather than repeated. Butterflies and bottle puppets were used to develop the theme for the whole project, 'Going Places', also explored through a variety of exercises and games.

Bunraku style paper puppets sustained the themes of the work done previously with rod puppets - the puppets require multiple operators working as a team, they are without specific facial expressions and do not require the use of speech, rather using mime and physical gesture to communicate to each other and the audience. A new development was that, after a simple demonstration by the drama team, the Bunraku puppets were made by the groups themselves and the making of them was demonstrated in the final performance. Using the Bunraku puppets challenged and interested the older, more able groups and the results were fantastic - the puppets were tremendously expressive and worked well both in small groups and in the larger performance.

The shadow puppetry this year introduced a story-building element to the work that had not been present before. It was wonderful to be able to respond immediately and practically to the groups' ideas and imaginations and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with a significant number of the less able group members actively participating behind the shadow screen. Using the combination of cut out paper images and the physical shadows created by the bodies of group members both in the sessions and in the final performance provided visual stimulus and inspiration for those on both sides of the screen and will hopefully be expanded in future projects.