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Naracoorte Primary Clowns Around

Naracoorte Herald, September 18, 2001

Naracoorte Primary School students have been “clowning around” this term, performing circus skills with the help of two clowns Rivet ‘n’ Tuft.

The workshops were held for Years 5,6 and 7 Students.

Improvisation, playing different characters and performing in front of the class were activities in the first workshop for years 5 and 6 students.

Circus skills including juggling, hoops, diablos, stilts, “rolla bolas” and other stunts were learnt by year 6 and 7 students at Naracoorte High School’s Williamson Hall.

A performance called "The Whisperers” was then performed in from of the school in two sessions by the clowns, Grant Wildman (Tuft) and Trevor Wright (Rivet) which incorporated what the students had learnt.

Naracoorte Primary School teacher Mrs Cherylie McConnel thought the performance was excellent.

“I think the student’s enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t just dramatic arts”, she said. “It also taught them social skills, about negative self talk and problem solving.”

The play was about two clowns telling the story of a clown, Tuft, who was trying to achieve his personal goals and an evil whisperer, Rivet, came in and told him he couldn’t do it. This reflected the negative self talk we experience when we try and achieve anything.

The clown then went to seek help from the King, who was picked out of the audience, to fight the evil whisperer.

“It wasn’t just your off the cuff performance they interacted rally well,” Mrs O,Connell said.

“And the students performed the skills they had learnt really well."