In this week’s ‘A Conversation With…’ we took a trip to the Tithe Barn and had a chat with Head of Drama, Mrs Emma Farrell, who took up the position at Shiplake last September. Mrs Farrell has been passionate about drama and the theatre for as long as she can remember, and really loves drawing the same passion out of her students.
When did you join Shiplake and what positions have you held previously and now?
I joined Shiplake last September as Head of Drama. Previously I was Head of Drama at Garth Hill College, in Bracknell and a teacher of drama in my first school. I became a teacher in 2012, but didn’t go straight into teaching after university. Following my degree I worked with a theatre company in Belfast doing outreach work with schools. I then came to England and started as a teaching assistant in a secondary school while managing a restaurant at the same time. I knew I quite liked the idea of becoming a teacher, but wanted to try working in a school before I made the commitment to study. Obviously I loved it and went on to do my PGCE.
What do you like most about your job?
I’ve always loved drama, the arts and theatre. When you work in a theatre or as an actor, you will probably only do one play a season. In school I am afforded the opportunity to work with a range of talented performers, on a variety of plays, genres and styles every single day! What could be better?
I love introducing pupils to the power they have as a performer and how they can use that in so many positive ways, in particular over an audience and how they can make them feel different emotions or inspire them to make positive change. They have the power to make them laugh, cry and feel real connection with the characters they are portraying. It is my hope that they can then carry that into every area of their lives, knowing that they are powerful and use it for good.
I also really enjoy working with lots of different people. Getting to know them and developing relationships is such a wonderful part of my job.
What inspired you to get into teaching drama?
My love for drama came from my grandmother. Every year there was a drama festival in our town and we used to go together. I saw my first play with her, and it was the most exciting thing I had ever experienced. I knew from then that drama would play a part in my life.
During my A levels I had really encouraging teachers who pushed me to achieve far beyond what I thought I was capable of. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am now. As a result I wanted to make a difference like them and work with children and young people.
Who is your favourite playwright?
I really enjoy 21st Century Irish theatre. Sean O’Casey plays have really interesting, complex and flawed characters and a subtlety that I love. His plays, though fictional, are set in key periods of Irish history and I enjoy his insight and darkly comedic approach to the events he writes about.
Martin McDonagh is similar in some ways but more contemporary. Again his plays are dark comedies and he has also written the screen plays for In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths.
You have recently put on your first production - Loserville - with the Shiplake pupils, what are your plans for drama at Shiplake moving forward? Are there any more exciting performances coming up?
We have grand plans for raising the profile of drama around Shiplake. We didn’t want the momentum of the production to slow once it was over and so we got straight into planning and rehearsing for the Inter-House Drama Competition, which is taking place on 31 March.
We also recognise that there are so many talented students in Lower School, who didn’t really have the opportunity for a lead role in the production this year, so we are aiming to have a Lower School production of the Noel Greig play Rainbow’s Ending in the summer term.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Funnily enough, I go to the theatre! I also read a lot - anything and everything. Historical fiction is my favourite and for escapism I enjoy fantasy books such as the work of Phillip Pullman. I also like to sew, and I take part in Irish Dancing classes and events at the Irish Centre in Reading.
In addition I help my husband when I can, at his Vegan restaurant, Vegivores in Caversham.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I’ve never really had ambitions that take me too far into the future. I take each challenge as it comes, and once I overcome that challenge and have given it my all, I move onto the next. I live in the now, it means I can enjoy each experience in its own right without worrying about whether it will get me to a pre-planned point in the future.
