Sunday 28 December 2008

Keith Park

Through his work teaching and supporting young people with multiple sensory impairments and learning disabilities Keith Park has developed a form of interactive storytelling.

In Keith's words: 'The method used is call and response which is an approach many thousands of year old and is still used in various forms throughout the world. The storyteller calls out a line and the other participants respond either by repeating the same words or by calling out a different line, and so on throughout the story. This establishes a rhythmic exchange or communication and provides a powerful momentum that encourages all participants to become involved in some way. Those participants who do not speak can rock, clap, stamp, nod, and of course, sign.'

Keith works with young people and adults in a range of settings including schools and theatres (stages provide a good source of resonance, which is one way of involving people with multiple sensory impairments in the sessions). He also takes groups to settings that suit the theme of the texts being used e.g. Cockney Rhyming Slang versions of the Bible Stories in churches and cathedrals, sea shanties in the Maritime Museum and Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre. The best way to get an understanding of the work is to join a session. Here are some dates of forthcoming sessions Keith is running:

Tuesday 6th Jan - Churchill Theatre - Cinderella

Wednesday 7th Jan - Churchill Theatre - Cinderella

Tuesday 13th Jan - Globe - The Tempest

Wednesday 14th Jan - Westminster Abbey - Bible Stories in Cockney Rhyming Slang

Friday 16th Jan - Globe - Romeo and Juliet

Thursday 22nd Jan - St Paul's Cathedral - Bible Stories in Cockney Rhyming Slang

Friday 23rd Jan - Globe - The Tempest

Monday 25th Jan - Globe - Romeo and Juliet

You need to let him know if you want to go along so leave a message on this site and I can put you in touch with him. See the links on this page for more about his work.

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