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Latest News
2012 Projects
Spectrum actors can be seen at the Imperial College Festival on May 11th and 12th!
 WW2 Outreach sessions coming soon! Teachers never fear! Although the Imperial War Museum may be closing for major renovations, we shall be offering some exciting new workshops on the Home Front, Evacuation and the Blitz. AVAILABLE FROM AUTUMN 2012 - call the office on 020 7735 9220 for more details!
Spectrum is now in Wales! Following our successful bi-lingual workshop sessions launched this time last year at Chepstow Castle, CADW have asked Spectrum to further develop its programme at Blaenafon Ironworks. More news on these exciting ventures to follow!
2012 is the bi-centenary of the birth of Charles Dickens and we have several exciting new performance pieces to offer schools and public audiences. Please call the office for more details.
Two new characters - Jean Pellicorne and The Young Archer made their debut at the Wallace Collection at the end of March
A new show taking a humorous look at the history of the monarchy has been developed for the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich - first performances were a great success in March and more to come in May and June!
New in Autumn 2011:
The Maritime History Show - at the National Maritime Museum
Dr Johnson appeared at Compton Verney
A 'Hospitaller' character for the St John Museum at Clerkenwell
Over the Summer, new characters Annie Besant and Charles Goss made their debut at the Bishopsgate Institute...
plus two new Pirate shows came to the Museum of London Docklands........
 ........and here's what the audience had to say:
'deeply silly and enormous fun - we learned a lot too!'
'it is suitable for all ages - there's something for everyone...we learned things we didn't know about pirates effortlessly....'
The DNA Database Debate is now taking KS3 School bookings - come and see this exciting interactive and thought-provoking show at the Science Museum (Bookings Hotline 020 7942 4777)
or alternatively book an Outreach visit by calling the Spectrum office.
And here is what a teacher had to say after watching the show '....this drama provided a fabulous opportunity for my students to debate a contemporary issue - it was brilliant!'
From June, Spectrum crosses into new pastures with a workshop for Key Stage 2 at Chepstow Castle.
In a new departure, Spectrum will be offering this session in English and Welsh and there are plans to extend this to Key Stage 3 as well as family audiences. Congratulations to Julie Gamble, now Spectrum's very own Arts Award Advisor! Julie worked on another very successful Leighton House drama project in April 2011.
 In Spring 2011, new characters Yuri Gagarin and Mary Anne Galton came to the Science Museum, Alexis Soyer made his debut at the Florence Nightingale Museum and a major Pirate project started up at Museum of London Docklands! Plus we returned to perform at the fabulous Wellcome Collection on Euston Road.
.JPG) Yuri Gagarin in action!Cockroach Tours of the Science Museum began in December and will go on until December 2011 - a chance for our audience to join Spectrum actors working in collaboration with Danish artists Superflex and experience life as a Cockroach - contact the Science Museum to take part!
'we really enjoyed the Cockroach Tour - it was original, intelligent, funny and brilliantly presented'
  Sir James Thornhill appears in the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich - from 7th November!
 Spectrum actors are regular performers at Science Museum Lates - the popular adults only evenings at the Science Museum on the last Wednesday of every month - recent topics include Bio-terrorism and STIs!
We are delighted to be working with the Museum of the Order of St. John in the City - the museum opened officially at the beginning of November.
At the end of September we were thrilled to be part of UNDER LONDON at Aldwych Underground Station - a project to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Blitz!
 Throughout August the Leighton House Summer Drama School provided an opportunity for young people between the ages of 14 and 19 to devise a performance piece and learn new skills under the guidance of Spectrum actors - part of the Cultural Olympiad! Follow this link to see us in action.
Also in August Spectrum actors took on the roles of Landgirls and Farmers at 'The Wartime Farm' in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum joined on the farm by guest animal actors from the fabulous Surrey Docks City Farm!
 ©IWMIn June and July we worked with the Royal Society as part of their Summer of Science programme at the Southbank Centre: http://www.royalsociety.org/summer-of-science Leighton House re-opened in Spring 2010 after refurbishment and Spectrum actors can be seen fronting the Ipod guided tour of the house
Hans Sloane performed at The Old Operating Theatre at London Bridge in February Museum of London lower galleries open and Spectrum actors inhabit the new performance spaces with characters old and new - a Victorian Spice Seller, a Street Photographer and Mary Seacole to name but three! The Florence Nightingale Museum re-opened in May 2010 - Florence is now back at home again to celebrate the centenary of her death! A new Tudor character and education session launched at the Old Royal Naval College in early 2010 Madame de Pompadour's new French performance piece can be booked by school groups at the Wallace Collection
December 2009 - Charles Dickens at Tower Bridge!
Hayward Morse and Richard Hodder played Charles Dickens throughout December 2009
In November 2009, CHANGE OF HEART - our show about the past, present and future of the heart - developed and written by Clive Greenwood in conjunction with the Royal College of Pathologists, toured Science Centres throughout the UK during National Pathology Week.
Julie Gamble and Clive Greenwood in 'Change of Heart' Fighting Your Corner A New Play by Ben Livingstone Directed by Suzanne Rayner Premieres at the Charles Grace Theatre, Shrivenham, Wiltshire at the end of September
If The Bombers Should Come Spectrum actors were in role at this summer event for the whole family at the Imperial War Museum between 22nd and 30th August
Spectrum actor Clive Greenwood was seen as Dr Gripenerve the Quack as part of the Quacks and Cures event at the Wellcome Collection on Friday 10th July. This event, curated by Alex Julyan, was so popular it will be repeated in 2010 - watch this space for more details!
As part of the Science Museum's Centenary celebrations, Spectrum has developed a new gallery character and performance piece - the story of Rosalind Franklin - exploring her role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. The role premiered at the end of June. STOP PRESS! Lost in the Field of Blackbirds, our play about the Balkans War of the 1990s, can now be seen on You Tube.
Click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/user/kingsinlondon
From 26th March, a Spectrum actor in role as Charles Darwin can be seen at his former home, Down House in Kent. In association with the English Heritage site, schools and other groups will be able to talk to the man himself and find out about his trip on the Beagle, his family, worms, beetles and his 'Big Idea'! http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19529
Linley Sambourne House Video Project now online! Click on the link below to see Spectrum actors bringing this wonderful house to life: http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/linleysambournehouse/general/default.asp
Spectrum actors can be regularly seen performing and acting as comperes for events at the Dana Centre, South Kensington - click the link for more information
Darwin at the Zoo!
For half term only, 14th - 22nd February 2009, visitors had the chance to follow a Spectrum actor in role as Charles Darwin, as he toured the Zoo and talked through some of the key aspects of his work.
There Be Treasure!
 An exciting venture with The National Maritime Museum which gives children a chance to see and hold rare artefacts from events in the past. Discover what the real pirates were like from their own diaries or witness the struggles of the people who forged the North West Passage and went with Shackleton to the Antarctic. As well as looking at the documentary evidence, the children then meet a real pirate or Tom Crean who served with 'The Boss' on the Trans Antarctic Expedition.
http://nmm.ac.uk Other recent projects have included: Remembrance 90
The BBC marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the World War One with a series of specially commissioned television and radio programmes,free local events and online and mobile content. Spectrum actors appeared in role as characters from WW1 at the Imperial War Museum on November 8th for a day filled with activities for all the family. Two new WW1 roles joined our repertoire - a Munitions Worker and a soldier from the West Indies Regiment.
Yugoslavia - Lost in the Field of Blackbirds
This powerful performance piece has been produced in conjunction with King's College Archives and toured between September and December 2008. It can now be seen on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kingsinlondon Supported by The Big Lottery Fund and MLA London
Annie Darwin Favourite daughter of Charles, Annie tragically died at only 10 years old but you can hear her story in this drama piece incorporating a life-size puppet.
From October 2008 at the Natural History Museum
Sir Richard Wallace Meet Sir Richard Wallace and join him on a tour of the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square. From October 2008
http://www.wallacecollection.org
Ruth Belville
Find our about the history of time from our new character at the Royal Observatory Greenwich 
'Flo on the Road'
Our fabulous Florence Nightingale can still be found 5 days a week during term-time at the Florence Nightingale Museum but she has become so popular that she can now come to your school or college too! Please contact Katie at the Florence Nightingale Museum for more details of how to book a visit from the great lady herself: http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk  Actress Julie Gamble as Flo!Other news 'Victorian Delights'
Join our actors for an entertaining evening of songs, stories and a demonstration of an original Magic Lantern and an Edison phonograph. Call or e-mail the Spectrum office if you would like to book us for your special event. 
Our film of 'Runaways - Africa Stories' a Spectrum/Spacedog Production for Lambeth Archives has won an Archives Landmark Award - congratulations to writer Gabrielle Bourn, actor Willan Shombe and all the creative team! _______________________________________
Spectrum are delighted to be the resident theatre company at London's Transport Museum which re-opened after major re-furbishment in November 2007 ____________________________________________
Our wartime Wizard of Oz played to crowds of families in December 2007 _____________________________________________ Spectrum actors performed at the Manchester International Festival as part of THE GREAT INDOORS. They collaborated with the University of Salford to present 'Beautiful Music, Horrible Sounds' |
020 7735 9220
©The Science Museum
Tariq Bhatti and Julie Gamble play investigative reporters Ronnie Merlot and Barbara Ballast who front the show!
Tales from the Gate storytelling
Tariq Bhatti and Faud Conroy in rehearsal
©NHM
