Ciaran has most recently performed in the musical show ‘Mary Poppins’ at Chislehurst Summer School which he attends along with our weekend school. 

Ciaran explains what he enjoys most about being a part of Jigsaw

My name is Ciaran Douglas, and I have been a member of Jigsaw Performing Arts School for nine brilliant years.

There is a 5-6’s group, where you will do a presentation to your parents containing a drama, singing and dancing piece. Then, when you reach the age of 7, you will be moved up into the main school.

There are three terms each year – a technique term, which you use to develop techniques for more terms to come; a presentation term, where you put together some pieces and perform them to your parents; and finally, the show term, with the lights, costumes, makeup, etc.

My favourite term at Jigsaw has got to be the show term when we performed Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ where I played the role of Bottom – the one that turns into a donkey!

I’ve always had ambitions of performing and Jigsaw is most certainly the place to go. Beginners can join, but if you feel as though you want to take it a step further, the Jigsaw Agency is available to apply to – you will get casting calls sent to you and you can take part in many auditions. Jigsaw is such an enjoyable place to visit as it boosts your confidence and you make many new friends.

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

Singing lessons, do they have any benefit? Now, I’m sure that there are a lot of us out there who enjoy singing out loud to our favourite pop songs in the shower. The decibels bouncing off the bathroom tiles as we serenade an imaginary concert of adoring fans, all in the safety of our own home. But aside from the fantasy of becoming the next Freddie Mercury, are singing lessons worth it?

“I first started private singing lessons when I was 9 years old. I had told my Mum that I wanted to go for a lead role in our local community theatre group, and she had said that singing lessons were a good place to start if I wanted to compete with the older children. It turned out she was right, as later that year I got my first lead part. I haven’t stopped since,” says Alex Wharram who teaches singing at Jigsaw Bexleyheath and manages Jigsaw Croydon and Sevenoaks.

“Group singing, such as in a choir, has its own positives. It has been proven that group singing improves mental health but it is also a great way to learn to work as part of a team, boost confidence in singing without having to sing on your own and is just plain fun! I have been a part of a choir since the age of 10 and can emphatically say there is no better way to feel great than to sing with people who also enjoy singing.

“I have always felt that when you sing you give the listener a piece of yourself. While this can be very daunting for first time singers, there is no better way to express emotion than through song.” 

It’s true, singing has many social, physical and neurological benefits. Studies have shown that it can help ease stress, increase lung capacity and strengthen your muscles. In the long term this can help improve your posture and can prove to be hugely beneficial for our emotional wellbeing.

“Singing a happy song can cheer you up when you’re feeling down” says Alex, “while a sad song can be very cathartic.”

There is the right song for every mood, time and place and even people who profess they cannot sing will join in with a resounding “Sweet Caroline” when it comes on at a wedding. Singing brings people together in a way that nothing else can and I thoroughly recommend everyone give it a go no matter your age! It’s never too early or too late!”

We couldn’t agree more! Acting through song brings children together encouraging a sense of community. Through Jigsaw’s singing lessons, children are introduced to a variety of musical styles. Song lyrics develop their articulation and broaden their expressive communication. There is even evidence that singing can help improve speech impediments, such as stuttering. This is believed to be due to the increased duration of phonation and continuous voicing helping to increase the connectedness between syllables and words. Through repetition, breaking down the words into simple sounds, singing engages the part of the brain involved in sound-motor mapping.

So before you reach for the ear defenders, it is well worth considering how singing can improve your child’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Granted, we can’t guarantee the volume of sound your child may make, but we’re pretty sure there’s a lot of fun to be had when singing as a group.

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

 

16th – 20th November is Anti-Bullying Week in the UK. While there are events and programmes happening in schools, what can parents and carers do? 

 

Learn about the forms that bullying can take

The Anti-Bullying Alliance defines bullying as “the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power.” This can happen face to face or online.

While we tend to think of bullying in terms of bullies and victims, the dynamics are often more complex, involving groups and social roles that can shift and change quickly. Behaviour that might look or sound innocuous from an outside perspective could be bullying.

Similarly, online bullying can take different forms, especially as platforms, trends and slang changes.

 

Talk to children about it

It can be difficult to talk about bullying, for both children and parents, but it’s a necessary conversation.

Would your child know what to do and who to talk to if they’re being bullied? Would they be able to recognise and stop bullying behaviour from their friends and themselves?

Talk about staying safe online – again, there are some fantastic resources online if you’re unsure about how to have that conversation.

It’s impossible to supervise every single interaction your child has, whether that’s in person or online, so communication and trust is key. Talk about who they interact with, what they share, and make sure they understand how to use security and blocking features.

Knowing the right thing to do is one thing, but it’s easier said than done, especially when facing peer pressure. Building up a child’s confidence and self-esteem will help empower them to make the best decisions.

 

Understand what the school’s responsibilities and powers are

It’s always worth familiarising yourself with your child’s school’s approach to bullying if you haven’t already. What is your school doing to talk about and combat bullying, not just on Anti-Bullying Week but year-round?

State schools have the power to make sure students behave outside of school premises. This can mean even incidents that happen entirely outside school, for example online bullying, can become a school issue and be addressed through the school.

Take time to find and read the behaviour policy of your child’s school (state schools must have one in place). This behaviour policy should include language about promoting good behaviour and preventing bullying.

While it will vary depending on the individual school and type, schools all have a complaints procedure. It can be helpful to know how this works ahead of time, in the (hopefully unlikely) instance you have to escalate a complaint when an incident of bullying isn’t resolved.

 

Think about your own behaviour

As adults, we can also take the time to think about how we model behaviour around children. Children learn from what we do as much as – if not more than – what we say. They watch and soak up how we treat other people.

How do you resolve conflict with other people? When children do witness negative behaviour from others, do you try to ignore it, or talk to them about what makes behaviour unacceptable?

We can all treat each other with respect and empathy and be great role models for future generations!

 

Anti-Bullying Alliance

You can find out more from the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which is also full of brilliant resources for parents and carers.

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page, and keep in touch with them for updates. 

Disney’s award-winning musical The Lion King is now in its 15^th year at the Lyceum Theatre in the West End. This acclaimed production has been seen by over 70 million people around the world and tells the timeless story of Simba and his epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pride lands. On Tuesday 4^th November 2014 we made a Jigsaw trip to see the show and we were all blown away by this extraordinary production. This was very exciting for us all as one of our very talented Crouch End students, Amma Ris, is currently starring as Young Nala in the show.

It was fantastic to see so many Jigsaw students and parents there to see the show and support Amma as she gave a truly inspiring performance and impressed us all with her fine acting skills and lovely singing voice.

One of the absolute highlights of this show is the spectacular costumes and make up that the actors wear to convey the different jungle animals. The attention to detail is incredible, and you spend the first ten minutes of the show just absorbing how phenomenally colourful the stage is with all the performers on at once. The show opens with “The Circle of life” which introduces us to the beautiful soundtrack by Elton John as many of the songs are taken from the original film.

The Lion King is a fantastic show to introduce young children to the theatre as it really does stretch the audience’s imagination through the use of puppetry, brilliant choreography and clever lighting to create star effects and such like. Many children will of course be familiar with the storyline and songs. Visually, I think it’s one of the greatest shows I’ve seen. It also has a huge emotional impact as it addresses themes such as loyalty, abandonment and relationships which are very much a big part of all our lives on a daily basis. It’s difficult to leave the theatre without feeling inspired by the symbolism and moral of the story – how we should stay loyal to those that care for us as truth and honesty always prevail in the end.

My only criticism of this show is that for me personally I love to see a live orchestra at the theatre and because this show is so music orientated and led, it was a shame not to be able to see the musicians. I felt a live orchestra would have added to the intensity of the show and finished it off so beautifully on a visual level. Otherwise, I found this show thoroughly enjoyable and we all had a fantastic evening. The star of the show for us all was of course Amma Ris, as Young Nala, as she lit up the stage with such a huge amount of energy and was incredibly engaging for such a young performer.

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18.  Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

Above: Lily Mae in rehearsals for the musical Little Miss Sunshine. Lily Mae attended the Agency Workshop Day in 2017.

Following the great success of the last one, and all the wonderful casting news for Jigsaw students, there will be another Agency Workshop Day on: Sunday 30th June 2019 in London

What happens at an agency workshop?

Students who attend the workshop will take part in a series of mock castings to see what auditions are like and what is involved. We will offer feedback and explain how to make a good impression at castings. They are often quite short, so you don’t have long to make your mark!

Who is running the agency workshop?

Myself – I’m Katie, and I run Jigsaw Arts Management. I am also the manager of Jigsaw Watford and Bushey. We also have Sam running the workshop too. He trained at The Guildford School of Acting in Musical Theatre and has many professional credits. He also teaches dance, drama and singing at Jigsaw. We have Saskia assisting us – she recently graduated from Associated Studios in London.

Who should attend, and why?

The agency workshop is suitable for any Jigsaw student who is interested in finding out more about the acting and musical theatre industry. Come and give it a go! Being in the agency can provide many exciting opportunities, so it is an excellent way to find out more.

What can parents expect from the agency workshop?

I am very happy to chat to parents after the workshop should they have any questions about the agency and the industry in general. For students that go on to land roles in West End shows, for example, it can be a huge commitment for parents, so it is good to be aware of this too.

How did the last agency workshop help those who attended it?

It was fantastic to meet so many of our agency students last time and I walked away knowing which shows would be suitable for different children when it comes to submitting them for auditions. Since the last agency workshop, we have had two students appear in “The Bodyguard” UK tour and others make their west end debut in shows such as Les Miserables, School of Rock, A Little Princess, Nativity and Little Miss Sunshine. We have also had students take part in filming various TV adverts and campaigns.

What are you looking for in children interested in joining the agency?

I am always looking for a spark! The industry is changing a lot and many TV/film castings just want to see ‘real’ children who are down to earth and capable of just being themselves in the audition room. This comes with confidence and the ability to take direction and leave your inhibitions at the door! Every child is unique, so my advice is to come along and just be yourself, as simple as that may sound.

How does being part of the agency work?

When students join the agency they book a headshot session with Mark from MAD photography and we choose one headshot to go on their ‘Spotlight’ page which is an online CV. I get many castings coming through every day, and I put forward students that I feel are suitable for that particular role. It is then up to the casting director who they choose to call in for an audition.

What is the casting and audition process like for a show? Is it different for a film or TV show than stage?

For musical theatre auditions, children will be asked to sing, dance and act in order to get through to each round. There will be other deciding factors such as height and age that play a huge part when it comes to how casting directors make their decisions. For TV/Film auditions, students are usually sent a script or at least a brief before hand so they can prepare for the audition. They may get to read this a few times in the audition room, and often this will be filmed. In both cases, casting directors will want to see that the children can take direction and better their performance if they are called back for the next round.

Is the auditioning process difficult? How can it be made easier?

It is extremely competitive! There is no denying that. However, there are certainly ways to make this easier. My advice would be to prepare as much as possible. Often for musical theatre auditions children will be asked to prepare a song, and sometimes a monologue. Auditions can be quite last minute so it is important to have something prepared just in case and to keep practicing it. Arriving to the audition early and taking some time before going into the audition room to think about the character, if it is a TV/film audition, will help to calm nerves and make sure you are focused on the task!

How do productions work with the children they cast to make it a good experience?

Children have chaperones on professional productions to really look after them and make sure they are having a positive experience at all times. Children have plenty of rehearsal time, and if they go on tour they also have a tutor to make sure they can keep up with their school work. It is certainly a very exciting experience for children to perform in a West End show – Harry got to perform on BBC’s Children in Need as part of the “School of Rock” cast!

If you are a current Jigsaw student and are interested in attending the agency workshop day or joining the agency, email Katie on agency@jigsaw-arts.co.uk.

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

So when and how is acting useful in everyday life? At Jigsaw, we know that acting and drama skills have all sorts of applications beyond the stage or screen. While some might take acting classes with an eye to appearing on the West End, others want to boost their confidence, be creative or simply make some new friends.

Body movement

“Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.”- Deborah Bull

Actors have to think about their body language and what messages they are conveying through how they walk, stand, and sit. This awareness is useful throughout life, whether it’s in giving presentations and talks or meeting new people and making good first impressions.

Acting is also a fun physical activity that relieves stress and tension, which is important as our modern lifestyle can be quite sedentary.

Understanding emotions

“Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.” – Meryl Streep

Actors also need to have an awareness and control of emotions, both theirs and those of others. They’re connecting with people, putting themselves into someone else’s shoes, whether that’s an audience, a fellow performer, or a character they’re playing.

It’s no coincidence that actors often become heavily involved in charity and philanthropy. Acting creates empathy and can bridge the gap between us and other people.

Similarly, acting is a safe and productive way to explore how to understand and express your own emotions in a healthy way, a good way of developing emotional maturity.

Working and communicating together

“Creating a relationship is the heart of acting. It is basic. It is essential.” – Michael Shurtleff

Teamwork and collaboration are intrinsic parts of acting, whether it’s working in a group, with a scene partner, or even just working on a monologue with a director.

Actors have to learn to rely on other people, to work together and support each other, and to not be afraid to make suggestions and try out new ways of doing things.

Developing good communication and listening skills are key to this. These skills are also very important for forming a connection with the audience.

The Mind

“The actor has to develop his body. The actor has to work on his voice. But the most important thing the actor has to work on is his mind.” – Stella Adler

The “what if” questions, blue-sky thinking, thinking outside the box. Whatever you like to call it, imagination is an integral part of living a happy and fulfilled life.

Acting inspires creativity and stimulates the mind, while at the same time learning lines and lyrics develops concentration and memory skills.

Acting can be a useful part of everyone’s life. Acting can connect the world inside the mind with the world outside, in the process strengthening our understanding of both.

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

We spoke with Donna to hear all about her experience!

“It’s always exciting when there’s a new theatre production to go and watch. As much as I love all the classics, there are very few I’ve seen more than once (although I made an exception for the amazing Hamilton!). So I was particularly excited about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, especially as I could combine it with a Christmas present for my Harry Potter mad 10-year-old daughter.

So, I’m not actually a Harry Potter fan myself. I find myself switching off periodically during Harry Potter family movie nights. And I only ever read the first book, but this piece of theatre had me gripped from start to end. The production and special effects were simply mind blowing – I don’t want to give too much away, but the dementors being a metre or two away from us (and we were in the cheap seats at the top of the balcony), the disappearing into the phone box, and the appearing through the fireplace – magical! Regular gasps and whoops from the audience, and not just from children and diehard Harry Potter fans, imposters like myself. Not a musical but subtle & simple choreography adding to the effect and drama.

It is a long one though, so you need to buckle in. Is this suitable for children of all ages? For those that don’t know, you’ll be at the theatres from 1 pm until almost 9 pm (!) with a two hour break in the middle for a quick bite to eat. We expected it to drag but it did not. My 12-year-old boy and 10-year-old daughter were also glued to their seats. Okay, my nearly seven-year-old had a little 45 minute nap towards the end but that’s when it became a little scary, so that was not such a bad thing. Officilly reccomended for ages 10 andf up, but I’d say fine for a 7 year old if you think they’ll sit and if they don’t scare easily.

Was a fabulous New Years Day family outing for us. All in all – highly recommend!

Little last minute tip – book a restaurant for the 4-6pm break because of course 1400 hungry people all pile out of the Palace Theatre and into the west end at 4pm.” – Donna, Jigsaw Dulwich

Learn more about the classes at Jigsaw Dulwich here.