On the Rails

on
the
rails

DAPG Young People July 2006 with Swindon’s Izza Bard Poet, Tony Hillier

cow pats on the back

hot hall full local lasses and lads
and there’s a World Cup match on now too
plywood props people corridors fill
forty up on stage at once

suddenly cow pats all over the place
leafy pastures at Swindon
beside Brunel’s billiard table

done their bit, they sit, in the wings
concentrating on dramatic things
making dreams come true
but this is no dream
you’re talking Dorcan
Dorcan Performing Arts Group
D.P.A.G. it’s all in the initials
the initial ideas and invitations
to join D.P.A.G

Dreaming are those people who think
“Young people smoke fags and drugs don’t they?”
“They sniff glue, sip alcohol”
“Oh Yes they do”.  “Oh No they don’t”

They turn up to rehearse
Learn lines, learn more lines
Deliver real Railway Lines
Turn up, make the moves
Make better moves
Then show us their moves

Words and actions, actions and words
Junction to junction, massive compunction
resistance is useless, you’ll join us as
to Dorcan young people, we raise our top hat
and rails about rail skill
real skill
real dreams that have not gone up in smoke

Izza Bard pops in to DPAG Brunel show rehearsals.

Brunel Bloke

not bad for bloke feeling my age
fancied stint acting on stage
came in for small part
feeling so fine
came out of the sidings
on to Main Line

Bob Barrows (of a certain age) expresses how pleased he is to play the older Brunel in DPAG Show July 2006

Dancers’ Eye

nerves run high
like
an electric fie

rush, stress, calls, smiles
and cries
like a messed up pie

“Get on stage”
The lights dim down.
We take our place.
Lights shine our face

the Glim
we feel the Glim
the beat of the music

mind’s blank
body numb
spirit free

Emeline Nsingi Nicos

the man

Mike’s the man
‘e opens and closes the show
e’s an open and shut case
he’s the man

Izza Bard encounters Mike at DPAG rehearsals

part

too shy for the stage
my work’s on the page
collecting the sub
I’m at the hub
of it all
DPAG has something for all

Gail Watling, Cast Representative, DPAG, Brunel Show June 2006

all sewn up

No time to go out
Red hot needle
nips in and out
No time to go out
Red hot needle
nips in and out

Actors need dressing
Costumes need pressing
It’s all so stressing
Being so, sew impressing

You ask why I do it
I’ll tell you why
Local people on stage
Brings a tear to my eye

I’ll let needle cool
down a few weeks
Then I’ll pick it up again
Give it a few tweaks

Lynne Reddaway, seamstress and props DPAG June 2006

trapped free

words on the page
brought to life up on stage

under the light
we melt every night

but all worth it
when you feel
the rush
no time to blush

all focussed on me
don’t feel trapped
I simply
feel

free

Laura Goodenough, 19 DPAG June 2006

Breaking Brunel Barriers

All these bloody Brunels
Everywhere backstage corridor
You bump into another Brunel
All these bloody Brunels

you
you Brunel wife
you Mary Alma Brunel
You look the part
You look more than the part
You look the business
You are the business

DPAG and the other crews
taken Brunel further
further than he ever knew he could go

Izza Bard backstage with DPAG 8 July

The Swindon Footlights

My wife’s in the chorus
My two sons are in it
I did it years ago
I didn’t sit on my ownio
Fiddling with transistor radio

I did my bit on stage
Now they’re following in father’s footlights
They’re not sittin’ at home on’t Todd
In front of Gameboy I pod

They’re making mates
Treading new footplates
Finding new footlight friends
Poss-ible life friends

My two sons are at it
Together they’re ensemble

Father de-briefs after the DPAG show “Top Hat and Rails”

peacock proud

the lad dun good
saw show here last week
today we wanted to reverse the polarity
DPAG did that

If not here
He’d be at home in bed
Or face to face with a computer
Not face to face with
Hundreds of Wyvern audience faces

This youth made us proud
Today seen the real youth
Seen the real youth
Dancing on stage
Sent us through the roof
The lad dun good

Family grouping share their thoughts after the Brunel Arts Youth Showcase, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon 8 July 2006

what’s best

what’s best ?
what’s best ?

best on stage
feeling the Spotlight Rush
This time the Brunel Buzz
best, best
best on stage

lots of other things
I haven’t tried
Tried stage
it’s great for a person my age
nearly fifteen

years of stages ahead of me
I’m ready for them all
‘cos I’ve done it
been on stage

ignited by the Spotlight Rush
best, best
best on stage

Izza Bard with Emily Barker (nearly 15) DPAG immediately after the Brunel Youth Arts Wyvern Showcase 8 July