Resource reviews: Open Drama UK's podcast Half Hour Call
Hattie Fisk
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Hattie Fisk reviews Half Hour Call – Open Drama UK's podcast.
Refreshing discussions from key players in the drama education community
After the success of its first season, Open Drama UK has returned with season two of its excellent podcast on drama education: Half Hour Call. Each light-hearted episode is around half an hour long (but can last up to 40 minutes) and is the perfect companion to your commute or lunch break. Featuring Q&As and interviews with prominent figures from the world of drama and theatre, the instalments are released monthly for free and are available wherever you listen to podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The show hosts colloquial and fun conversations on the trials and tribulations of being a drama educator, uniting a community of teachers and industry experts to improve and benefit young people through drama. Despite being easy to listen to, some really important topics are discussed, and a number of practical suggestions are dished out in each show.
One of the first episodes I listened to was ‘Where can your drama teaching lead you?’ where Holly Barradell from Open Drama UK facilitated a conversation with drama educators Kate Miller and Gemma Woffinden. Both guests have had successful careers in drama education through vastly different routes and share honest and practical advice for those who are looking to break into the profession, as well as those looking to shift roles or refine their skills.
Another interesting episode was titled ‘Pearson have new set texts – how did this happen?’. This instalment is hosted by co-founder Karen Latto, who discusses the new set texts from Pearson with their representatives Paul Webster and Sam Prince. As well as expanding upon the qualification reforms, this episode also delves into the career opportunities within the assessment world of education – something that can often be glossed over.
An episode worth mentioning is ‘Understanding drama publishing’, where the editor of Drama and Theatre joins founder publisher and managing director at Salamander Street Ltd for an interesting and fruitful discussion about the role publishing can take within drama education.
There really is something to take away from each episode of the Half Hour Call for everyone. I would highly recommend this podcast to all those in drama education and look forward to the episodes to come!
