A Day in the Life of a Drama Teacher – Mr Tristan Weston

A Day in the Life of a Drama Teacher – Mr Tristan Weston It’s jazz that always wakes me. Not be-bop, not cool, not even hot but swing, announcing itself charismatically from my alarm clock. I groan for but a second, a momentary pause as life returns and the swing rhythm works its way like a fine masseuse into the muscles.

It’s jazz that always wakes me. Not be-bop, not cool, not even hot but swing, announcing itself charismatically from my alarm clock. I groan for but a second, a momentary pause as life returns and the swing rhythm works its way like a fine masseuse into the muscles.

As I prepare myself for the day ahead, my head is imbued with thoughts of Macbeth striding across a barren heathland, of spaceships hobbling their way through the galaxy after being hit by a small asteroid; of curious Christopher- the mathematical genius or the terrible, fateful moment that Mickey and Eddie discover they are twins in Blood Brothers.

You see, being a Drama teacher is special. You are allowed to hang on to your inner child, not simply to be creative but to stay present, whilst still having childish dreams; to inhabit worlds and spaces, for a while, that you would unlikely experience in real life.

Act one starts after arriving at work and sinking my first ‘pep me up’- a strong coffee! Then the lights rise, the curtains open and Act 1 begins- the arrival of a group of excitable twelve year olds, chatting and gossiping as they come in, wondering where they will be taken to today- whether it will make them laugh, cry or think. Drama has the capacity to wow, to move and to enlighten but it also has the power to inspire. 

After an hour of jumping around, taking up postures and stepping into the shoes of a group of futuristic citizens on a spaceship, an hour passes in what seems a heartbeat. Pupils have been immersed in a new world, offering their thoughts, and creating a piece of theatre worthy of any stage in the land. I feel proud and smile like a Cheshire cat but it is only 9.15am and Act 1 has only just finished. 

I sweep the stage of crashed chairs, clearing up the debris of lesson one before quickly changing the set of the stage for my Year 10 class- who need a classroom for the set of their fabulous interpretation of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night Time’. Act two is calmer- a small class of bright eyed and perceptive fifteen year olds who speak of designing their set with such precision: ideas of Papier Mache, three dimensional flats and even back projection are espoused with the alacrity of well-versed and experienced directors. They are a wonder. Before long it is 10.15am.

I am exhausted but proud of my students as I head for coffee two and the interval.

I exchange a few pleasantries with my fellow actors (the other teachers) between the theatre and the staffroom and race back to set up my wonderful drama basement for Act 2. Twenty minutes pass and bright faced young minds totter down the stairs, giggling and chatting. I play a few games, to liven them up: ‘Splat’ and ‘Zip Zap Boing’ being particular favourites today. Two hours pass, as the day’s exposition reaches its climax and two more groups of young people leave, happy, hopefully inspired and I sit down to some lunch. 

I’m a vegetarian so have some wonders in my bag that I prepared the previous day- probably a curry. 

I breathe in and head up to the theatre for our school show rehearsal. This year it is We Will Rock You so its lights- camera-action and before long we are bounding across the stage correcting dance sequences, ‘vamping’ up the melodrama and tweaking the voices. It is going to be a great show and the work the students do is humbling. They are so excited and so am I.

The play for the day ends with a stirring rendition of Radio Gaga and I smile as students leave, ‘Thanks sir’- ‘see you next time’. One child hangs around to talk to me or share a few thoughts about the blocking of the play and as a parting shot she says, ‘This is going to be great isn’t it sir?”. 

I smile.

She leaves.

I’m exhausted but briefly think- has anyone else had a better day than me. The swinging jazz returns and I bounce out of school to a few high fives from the students. 

Mr Tristan Weston, Head of English and Drama.