Form 1 gave heartfelt performances of songs, dances and poetry all based on the enchanting book, The Lost Words by Dr Robert Macfarlane. The children became ‘shapeshifters’ and ‘fluttering goldfinches’ as they breathed life back into many forgotten words. Head of Drama, Mr Tim Clarke, explained, “The children spoke, acted and moved powerfully with one voice and were poised and elegant. It was about children excelling at being children…”
The Lost Words is a ‘book of spells’ that seeks to conjure up the near-lost magic and strangeness of nature. It transcends age barriers inspiring children and moving adults with its wide appeal. The book began as a response to the removal of everyday nature words - among them ‘acorn’, ‘bluebell’, ‘kingfisher’ and ‘wren’ - from a widely used children’s dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion. But The Lost Words grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us, as well as a celebration of the creatures and plants with which we share our lives, in all their wonderful, characterful glory.” The author, Dr Macfarlane, says “We’ve got more than 50% of species in decline. And names, good names, well used can help us see and they help us care. We find it hard to love what we cannot give a name to. And what we do not love we will not save.”
Dr Macfarlane spoke after Form 1’s performance, “You have bowled me over – what an extraordinary, wild and wondrous thing you have made – how did you remember all that! All those words, all those notes, all those movements. I am astonished, absolutely astonished and more than that, you didn’t just remember these things – you were shapeshifters, you became all of those things with your bodies, your minds! The intensity of your eyes, your hearts is absolutely extraordinary. You became snow hares hoping that the snow would fall, you became otters diving and delving into water and you became a charm of goldfinches circling the stage – I like all your glitter and twitter – it was absolutely extraordinary. I just want to say thank you for bringing hope to us all and if anything will change our relationship to nature, it’s this – it’s growing it, naming it, seeing it, loving it – it’s the stuff that’s around us. Children, staff, parents, thank you – it’s been a very very special thing for me to be here today.”
For more information about The Lost Words: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/293340/the-lost-words/9780241253588.html and the author: @RobGMacfarlane
