ISTA was a new experience for me, I didn't think I could let myself loose and relax in front of a bunch of strangers. I felt so comfortable around everyone on the first day. I have fallen in love with drama more because of this festival. What an experience! - Phoenix McDonald (M5)

Our flights were on-time and some of the group managed to sleep during our night  journeys. We arrived in London around 10am with suitcases intact  and document procedures all efficiently completed. The Tube ride to Earls’ Court was  fun and we arrived in the Earl’s Court area, met by sunshine. We checked into the hotel and then ate at Nando’s. Spirits were high!

After a brief rest at the hotel we bussed over to Trafalgar Square spotting London landmarks on our way - Harrods, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and a whole host of famous shops. We wandered past Hyde Park and then arrived at the Strand. A happy half-hour was spent in Waterstones before we arrived at Covent Garden where we watched street performer entertain us with some dangerous tricks.

We snacked in a cafe  and then went to the Duchess Theatre where we were thoroughly entertained by  “The Play that went Wrong.” The TISA group found the two hour farce surprising, thrilling  and  inspirational ; students are asking for next year’s show to be this one! It was very fun and fast!  

The Tube brought the tired group back to our hotel and early bedtimes  were  accepted without any fuss. We look forward to touring the Globe Theatre, a tour of the Thames Bankside area and our second performance, The Kite Runner.

I really enjoyed the experience of meeting new people who shared a common interest and I think it was really interesting to develop and discover new drama techniques. I got to learn a lot about portraying emotions without spoken words and I'm excited to apply my new skills in drama class. Overall it a a great experience with great people and I would love to do it again. - Wilhelmina Solley (M5)

Day two started with grey skies and drizzle but spirits were still high. After a big breakfast we headed off on the bus to Westminster Abbey where we started another walk. We strolled past Big Ben (listening to the chimes at 11 am) and the Houses of Parliament before taking a bridge across the River Thames. We listened to some tunes from a bag-piper and then walked through the South-Bank/Waterloo area and stopped into the National Theatre to buy some books. The area around the Globe theatre was busy with tourists and we escaped the mobs by having a late lunch at a Pizza cafe. We then crossed the Millennium Bridge and took the chance to see the many bridges that span the Thames.

We travelled back to the hotel for a brief rest before heading to the Wyndham’s Theatre for the astonishing adaptation of Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner.” A packed theatre was entranced for the two-hour forty minute performance. Our students dealt with the very emotional show maturely discussing the event in a mature and thoughtful manner. The contrast with last night’s performance could not be more marked; last night was high comedy and farce, whereas this evening was hard-hitting social-issues.

Tomorrow we pack our cases before breakfast and head out to have a tour of the Globe before travelling to Surrey for the start of our eagerly-anticipated ISTA festival.

This trip as a non-drama student was absolutely amazing. The plays we watched impacted in me so many ways, the ISTA festival as a whole taught me so much and I got to meet so many people. There was not a moment on this trip that I felt unsafe as my friends and the supervisors helped me get through the moments where I felt unwell. What I learnt on this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life, and the techniques and performance we did really was spectacular and I'm so glad I was a part of it. - Emily Patterson (M5)

Day three started with sunshine and some unexpected twists! Buckingham Palace was our first port of call and we waved regally but nobody replied. We paid tribute to Queen Victoria with suitably ‘unamused’ faces and had a lovely wander through St James’ park, accompanied by the music of a brass band. 221B Baker Street was our next surprise twist but it turned out to be an ‘elementary’ wrong-turning as the Sherlock fans were delighted!

We then visited the Globe Theatre and were treated to a tour around Sam Wanamaker’s ‘vision’. The group got the chance to use a wind machine; a much bigger version of the ones we saw in performance of “The Kite Runner.” Our guide explained the history of all three Globes and we watched a rehearsal of the wedding scene from The Taming of the Shrew by the current cast of the
Show.

It was then time for lunch by the Thames and a trip back to the hotel to collect our cases. We then made our way to Surrey on the train for the ISTA festival. Even after a few short hours we have seen the students from the schools in Turkey, Vienna and Lebanon connect with us as they have started exploring the topic of displacement through workshops, talks and drama games. We are have had a very full-on day and are ready for more tomorrow, but not before a good night’s sleep. On that note… Goodnight!

The company most definitely was one of the best parts of the London trip. Getting to know both people from my school and other schools was an incredible opportunity. The theatre itself was like no other. The day I came back, I was already thinking about ways to use it in my classes. - Lara Ucucu (M5)

Day 4 started early with a 7am breakfast and we were on the bus to the Festival host-school by 8am. Students were immediately put to work but we took a break at 10.30 to travel into Woking in order to meet a young woman who left Syria five years ago. This double-Masters graduate spoke to us about being without an identity and the fact that once you’re a refugee you have to forget your past and lock-away your memories. Our guest-speaker, Rana, also spoke about how precious our humanity is and that each of is valuable and valued; important messages. Our students then used Rana’s words to create dramatic art to emphasises her message. They were introduced to a technique called Verbatim Theatre, a form of documentary theatre. The idea is that plays, or short performance sequences, are constructed from the precise words spoken by people interviewed about a particular event or topic.

After lunch the students faced another afternoon of exciting and dynamic workshops. The final session of the afternoon featured a piece of music that each of the groups needed to use as their focus. It was fascinating to see how each group used movement, voice & collaboration to create such different effects.

After dinner the students surprised us all by finding the energy to enjoy a disco in the black-box theatre. We have been most impressed by their energy, maturity and engagement in all aspects of the festival. They are always the first to share ideas and questions in the discussions and they have really made us proud of their commitment.

Another sunny day in Woking, Surrey! The kids were working from 8.15 am - 6.30pm...they must be exhausted, surely!? The morning began with warm-ups led by each school. TISA led very well with an activity that involved the skills of listening to directions and performing the exact opposite action. Shortly after this they broke out into their ensemble groups. Breaks and snacks were enjoyed outside in the glorious Spring sunshine. This was followed by two practical workshops in which the students got the chance to develop their skills in Visual Art, Devised Physical Theatre in the style of the UK company, Frantic Assembly, and clowning skills with red noses and neutral masks. After lunch it was back to the rehearsal rooms where the groups were busy working on their performance pieces which will all be linked together into one 30-minute performance tomorrow. It has been a day full of new experiences and challenges but as you can imagine, they rose to the occasion!

At the end of the day, the three groups performed their works (in progress) demonstrating a wide variety of techniques. The impact on the audience was intense and emotional.

After a sing-song on the bus, the group were treated to a Fish & Chip feast at Woking’s only Chippie. The TISA students embraced this cultural experience with their usual open-mindedness and zeal. The plates were cleared! A quick trip to Tesco allowed for some more treats and then an early night was welcomed by all.