From Laughter to Life Skills: Commedia in the Drama Classroom. I never cease to be amazed by the power of the mask as an enabler. I firmly believe that masks are amongst the most effective tools for unlocking creativity and confidence. Time and time again, I see a shy, quiet student dare to don a mask and, before our eyes, transform into a bold, brash captain…

What image does the term ‘buffoon’ conjure for you? Is it a gormless, upper class ponce with very little intelligence? Is it our ludicrous leaders spouting absurdities and displaying ridiculous behaviour? It’s interesting how the word has changed its meaning over the years …

Bouffon is in a league of it’s own; bouffon creates a fake grotesquery: characters that are so outrageously bizarre that they can’t relate to anything or anyone real. No one is offended because these absurdly contorted actors do not bear any immediate semblance to any human that we recognise;

Our kids are pushed to succeed in core subjects so that they are successful in life and, of course, these are important, but we all know that it takes more than maths and English qualifications to be successful….