We would like to congratulate G31 for their stunning production of Macbeth. As the culmination of our recent expedition, “What is Power?”, our students didn’t just perform Shakespeare; they explored historical forms of protest, the power of the earth to create great destruction, the power of art to send political messages and the power of music to unite us all.
At XP, we believe that Presentations of Learning are more than just the end of an expedition; they hold immense power for our students. They are a transformative rite of passage that reminds us of the words of Kurt Hahn: “There is more in us than we know.” When we push our students into the “stretch zone” of public performance, they discover reservoirs of confidence, resilience, and talent they never knew they possessed. This production was a vivid testament to that growth.
Along with presentations of learning, creating work that is beautiful, high quality and public also sends a powerful message to our students that their work, and by extension, they, matter. The students were also able to use their voice to decide how their art would be used as a form of activism; to raise money for their crew charities.
The student re-imagining of Patti Smith’s song, with all of G31 on backing vocals and our rock bands on lead vocals and instruments is also a beautiful piece of work, recorded at Blank Studios in Newcastle.
Please support us in teaching our students that their art matters and is a powerful vehicle for change by downloading the song and sharing with family and friends and via your social media channels.
https://xpgateshead.bandcamp.com/track/people-have-the-power
Thank you for your ongoing support of all we do at XP; it is a pleasure to watch the students continue on their journey to becoming the best versions of themselves.