As far as school subjects go, poetry has always been given a pretty bad rap, being left to English buffs or unwanted Valentines from that dodgy guy in the back row.
Now local production company, SparepArts, is aiming to change all that by bringing their Life In Poetry, Poetry in Life workshop to local schools.
"It's a poetry programme put together with varying levels of difficulty aimed at different grades," says Julia Clarence.
"It's aimed at inspiring them and making it easier by showing them the tools to analyse."
Clarence and partner Siobhan Schulz have put together a 75- minute production that covers a good chunk of the poetry syllabus weaved into the story about a lonely school girl who uses the works of Sylvia Plath to help her through her problems.
"It makes it more exciting to have a play about poetry," says Clarence. "It's a different aid to just a teacher talking everyday."
Clarence and Schulz created their company to cover school projects across the board from drama to English and believe that poetry broadens that horizon.
"We both loved poetry at school and at varsity," says Clarence, and they are hoping to instill and inspire that same on-going appreciation in the pupils they encounter.
- The Life In Poetry, Poetry in Life production offers three different programmes catering from Grade Six to Matric. The production also includes an interactive workshop of local and international poems studied in the KwaZulu Natal English syllabus. It's available to local schools now at prices on a sliding scale per head.
For enquiries or bookings call 083-781-3657 or email [email protected]