We have an exciting new trail for visitors to the museum to enjoy! We are delighted to showcase the work of a number of Performing Arts Diploma students from Godalming College. The students have created fascinating and innovative performances in response to objects and displays in Godalming Museum. The final performances can be viewed via the links in this article. We are so grateful to the students for sharing their experiences and perspectives, they’ve certainly got us thinking about how we can interpret our local history! We know you’ll enjoy their pieces. Read on to find out more!

***About the Project***

During the summer a group of students from Godalming College came to the museum to gain inspiration for performances developed as part of their Performing Arts Diploma.
They were charged with creating a piece of solo theatre (10 minutes) that responds 'to their local museum' that will excite and entice visitors into the museum.
The resulting pieces are creative and innovative performances that give a different perspective on our collections and Godalming’s history.
Posters highlighting each performance are dotted around the museum near objects that inspired the students. We hope that our visitors will watch and enjoy them all.

The Museum Thief! by Red Cuthbertson

This performance depicts a thief in the museum showing off the interesting objects and exhibits. He selects interesting items from the museum to steal, sharing interesting insights into their history and his reasons for choosing the items. The piece highlights how easy it is for us to forget what treasures and fascinating history can be found in our hometowns.

Cave Man by Sam Bennett

This performance depicts a caveman three hundred thousand years ago. The caveman shows off his skills in painting and hunting and shares insights into his life. The piece highlights the importance of museums in understanding the past.

Gertrude Jekyll by Emma Currier

This performance depicts Gertrude Jekyll waking up in 2022 and her reaction to the modern world and its treatment of women. The piece considers the work that still needs to be done in fighting for women’s rights and promoting the successes of women in the past in museums.

Jack Phillips by Freddie Gillman

This performance tells the story of Jack Phillips’ last hours on the Titanic. This emotive performance show of fear felt by the people on board the sinking ship, and the bravery of Jack Phillips in staying at his post to send distress signals. The piece shows how important it is for us to remember his brave sacrifice.

George Mallory by Ethan Rouse

This performance tells the story of George Mallory's ascent of Mount Everest. Using clever staging we are shown the ordeal that Mallory went through and how he stayed motivated and determined to carry on even when his task seemed impossible, right until his tragic death on the descent of the mountain.

Godalming Wool & Textiles by Nil Yildiz

This performance shows a fashion designer in Godalming who makes her clothes out of wool. Following a knock back she reconsiders her approach to design, focussing on techniques passed down through generations as part of Godalming’s textile industry. The designer takes her inspiration from the old knitting machines at Godalming Museum, showing the importance of community and heritage.

Bletchley Park by Monica Forsyth

This performance shows a female code breaker at Bletchley Park who is underestimated and underappreciated by her male colleagues. The piece highlights how it is important to remember the impact women had in cracking the enigma code at Bletchley Park, and how women’s stories and achievements are not often visible in museums and heritage sites.

Lewis Carroll by Charlotte Cragg

This performance shows the fictional character of Alice who is trapped in a museum exhibit. She has been immortalised, but only in the way that Lewis Carroll had written about her in his Alice in Wonderland books. This performance highlights how Alice Liddell's real life, experiences and personality were very different to the little girl in the story told by Lewis Carroll.

We hope that you enjoyed the performances. Thank you to the students and staff of Godalming College for sharing their work with us.

Please note that these are creative interpretations so the information in this performance may not be historically accurate.

ClassAction by Godalming College

Percy Woods (1842-1922)