Latest news with #MakeDoAndMend
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Jersey schoolchildren 'learnt so much' in Liberation musical
Jersey pupils said they "learnt so much" about the island's occupation during World War Two by doing a special from St Mary's and Le Moye primary schools performed Make Do and Mend on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Jersey Arts follows the story of fictional 11-year-old Collette, who is a diary writer as she documents her experiences under German was originally written for the 50th anniversary of Liberation Day but was rewritten for the 80th anniversary by staff at St Mary's. Cameron, 10, played Collette's brother, while 11-year-old Mia was her mother in the musical. Cameron said: "I learnt so much from doing the show... [including finding out] there were ration books and there wasn't much to eat at all."Mia added: "You learn more as you go... [being on stage] was quite nerve-wracking but, after a while, it got really fun." Philip Richardson's daughter Annabella played the leading role of said it was "incredibly moving" and "the whole of the cast were phenomenally good".Mr Richardson added: "There was a tear in my eye when I saw Annabella perform; but it was a professional performance from everyone, which blew my mind." St Mary's Primary School head teacher Maria Stegenwalner said she was proud of her pupils' said: "They were absolutely marvellous... the children were amazing because, if I couldn't meet them to rehearse, then they would get together to do their own rehearsals."I was thinking about how we could keep this going so that, for the 100th anniversary, schools have this as a resource."
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Special musical to mark 80th Liberation Day in Jersey
A Jersey primary school has started rehearsals for a special musical to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Liberation Mary's School pupils have been learning the lines and songs for Make Do And Mend which was originally written to mark the 50th anniversary of Liberation follows the story of a character called Collette who keeps a diary stating in 1939, showing what life was like during the Occupation in the Second World play has been adapted to include more children and the pupils will perform the musical at Jersey Arts Centre on 6 May in the build up to Liberation Day. Annabella, 10, is playing the lead role of Collette while Mia, 11, is playing the role of Collette's said: "It's been really fun. It's a lot of words to learn but I think with time and effort that I can learn them all.""The play has definitely helped me understand the Occupation and what ordinary families had to do to survive."Mia added: "I've really enjoyed rehearsals because you know you're going to be performing on the Arts Centre stage." St Mary's School headteacher Maria Stegenwalner adapted the musical from the original and has been helping with said: "I worked for the headteacher who wrote this in 1955." She said the writer had been "worried that lots of the stories from that time would disappear and children wouldn't know what happened".Ms Stegenwalner added: "We are really early in rehearsals but the pupils keep finding new little things that crop up that they hadn't considered before about the Occupation."The school had asked for help making the costumes for children playing German soldiers and costume designer Denise Renoulf has offered to help.
