VIEWS & OPINION


VIEWS & OPINION


The power of the s tag e Comment by DANIEL RA


RAGGETT, director, 1984


George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the most popular and iconic novels of the 20th Century. It has become so absorbed i identity that people use terms such as ‘big brother’ and


any idea where they originated, and even ‘Orwellian’ itself has become a shorthand to denote totalitarian characteristics. A poll found it to be the novel that most people pretend to have read when they haven’t. Clearly, people like to think they know what Nineteen Eighty-Four is about, but do they really?


This was the central question, and our challenge, when adapting Nineteen Eighty-Four - to put the source material back under the microscope and to interrogate it; to ask why it remains such a seminal piece of literature, why it is still so widely taught and read; and to ask whether it still talks to us today. But we also wanted to subvert expectations: to demonstrate that the novel itself defies one single authoritative reading and to breathe life back into something that is in danger of being ossified by appropriation. We hope that in seeing the show, our audiences would have an


experience of the novel as something fresh and exciting, something alive on the stage in front of them. In making it we hope to challenge


concrete and steel - prove that the conv preconceptions, rec


eived ideas of what the novel is about or can be, and to


is quite different from what is actua entional idea of Orwell’s ‘dystopia’ -


lly on the page. boiler suits and


‘Room 101’ without nto our cultural


Ours is the first production to tackle the Appendix - the Principles of Newspeak - which is central to our adaptation and key to unlocking the novel; but also sheds new light on the way in which we read Orwell’s work. In a novel obsessed with language and ways of reading, we encourage our audiences to read the novel afresh; and to find something much more rich and complex in the way this monolith of literature speaks to the world in which we live.


When I was still at school I joined a youth drama school and it was there I was able to try out a bit of everything, from acting to technical roles like lighting and sound. I started directing when I went to university, revelling in the opportunity to bring all of those disciplines audiences come to see a show I’ve worked on,


particularly young audiences together. Now when I hear


and students, it reminds me of how I felt when I first started going to the theatre and saw shows that blew my mind. Especially for those who possibly do not go to the theatre a lot or view it as ‘not for them’, I hope they find this production interesting or exciting and are inspired to try and creat e those same experiences for other peopl e.


out into th moment o experience


1984 reinvigorates a classic: it offers a thrilling 101 minutes in which you every heart-thudding, nerve-jangling disorientating, surprising f reading the novel - where ‘you areWinston’ - and spits you back e world full of questions.


Emerging risks facing the education sector Comment by TILDEN WATSON, Head of Education Sector, Zurich Municipal


ATSON, Head of Education Sector, ZurichMunicipal


As the education world continues to evolve, so too do the risks facing the sector. In recent years, a number of new risks h radicalisation, failure to educate and an increase in


theft from schools ave come to light;


Rad calisation Radicalisationi


Whilst a specific radicalisation claim is yet to be brought successfully against a school in the UK, the changes with regards to a schools responsibility in terms of safeguarding means this issue is likely to grow. Zurich Municipal advises its customers to take a whole-school approach that demonstrates clear leadership on the issue. Education and training of teachers, more stringent IT control and proper guidance of students are just some of the measures that schools can put in place to prevent such claims from being made. Schools should also ensure that they have a robust and supportive procedure in place for staff to report students who seem at risk and vice versa in terms of students being able to raise d teachers.


Whilst a specific radicalisation claim is yet to be brought successfully against a school in the UK, the changes with regards to a schools responsibility in terms of safeguarding means this issue is likely to grow. Zurich Municipal advises its customers to take a whole-school approach that demonstrates clear leadership on the issue. Education and training of teachers, more stringent IT control and proper guidance of students are just some of the measures that schools can put in place to prevent such claims from being made. Schools should also ensure that they have a robust and supportive procedure in place for staff to report students who seem at risk and vice versa in terms of students being able to raise concerns around teachers.


Failure to ed u concerns aroun


Failure to educate cat e


Elsewhere, schools and particularly universities, may find themselves increasingly vulnerable to claims of failure to education. Some head teachers have admitted that parents’ expectations for their children’s education have grown dramatically in recent years and yet there is rarely any specific guidance in place for schools to ensure that they are protected against failure to educate claims. This is despite the landmark


Elsewhere, schools and particularly universities, may find themselves increasingly vulnerable to claims of failure to education. Some head teachers have admitted that parents’ expectations for their children’s education have grown dramatically in recent years and yet there is rarely any specific guidance in place for schools to ensure that they are protected against failure to educate claims. This is despite the landmark


2 0 www .education-today.co.uk.co.uk www


are just a few of the risks growing in prominence. Schools need to ensure they adapt to these types of risks now to avoid being caught out.


As the education world continues to evolve, so too do the risks facing the sector. In recent years, a number of new risks have come to light; radicalisation, failure to educate and an increase in theft from schools are just a few of the risks growing in prominence. Schools need to ensure they adapt to these types of risks now to avoid being caught out.


Emerging risks facin g the educati on secto r Comment by TILDENWAT


implications of the 1998 Phelps decision in which a school was held liable for the failure to educate a student with dyslexia.With no formal guidance issued, it will be up to the School’s leadership team to discuss risk management measures to prevent such cases in the future. As it stands, the trend indicates that disaffected parents more likely than ever to make a claim for damages which if done could impact a school’ s reputatio n in the longer term .


Theft Theft


Theft and vandalism are a growing problem for schools up and down the country, and as well as the financial implications, losses can also result in much disruption and stress for staff and students. The issue normally peaks during holiday periods, where there are fewer staff on site and where thieves are more likely to spot an opportunity. It is essential that a school’s management team have in place a proper plan to protect their schools for closure or partial closure during holidays. Zurich Municipal has a quick checklist for our customers which management teams can use to establish any actions they may wish to take to protect their premises.


Theft and vandalism are a growing problem for schools up and down the country, and as well as the financial implications, losses can also result in much disruption and stress for staff and students. The issue normally peaks during holiday periods, where there are fewer staff on site and where thieves are more likely to spot an opportunity. It is essential that a school’s management team have in place a proper plan to protect their schools for closure or partial closure during holidays. Zurich Municipal has a quick checklist for our customers which management teams can use to establish any actions they may wish to take to protect their premises.


Of cours e, it is impossible for schools to predict when claims o r incidents of any kind may occur. However it is possible to plan for them and to put the controlled measures in place. For newer claims, it is also possible that schools may not be adequately insured in the event of an incident. It is therefore vital that schools work with their insurance partners from the outset, carrying out due diligence to ensure that they are protected in all circumstances .


Of course, it is impossible for schools to predict when claims or incidents of any kind may occur. However it is possible to plan for them and to put the controlled measures in place. For newer claims, it is also possible that schools may not be adequately insured in the event of an incident. It is therefore vital that schools work with their insurance partners from the outset, carrying out due diligence to ensure that they are protected in all circumstances.


Jun e 2016 2016


implications of the 1998 Phelps decision in which a school was held liable for the failure to educate a student with dyslexia. With no formal guidance issued, it will be up to the School’s leadership team to discuss risk management measures to prevent such cases in the future. As it stands, the trend indicates that disaffected parents more likely than ever to make a claim for damages which if done could impact a school’s reputation in the longer term.


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