Special events

Disability Awareness Event

On 24 June 2009, the Performing Arts Programme collaborated with ASPIRE, the Trusts Equality & Diversity Staff Network, to host a Disability Awareness Event in The Robens suite at Guy's Hospital. The event was held to focus on the positive experiences and outcomes that employment of disabled workers can bring the NHS and the Trust.

The Charity provided two very moving performances by registered disabled performers. Margaret Aberdeen started the event with an inspirational poetry reading of one of her own poems about overcoming some of the difficulties and prejudices people face in life.

Victoria Oruwari, a blind soprano singer, silenced the room with her beautiful renditions of ‘You Raise Me Up’ and a well known song from Phantom of the Opera.

The performances were both emotional and inspirational and are a true credit to the outstanding achievements of disabled performers nationwide.

Poetry Parlour

The Performing Arts programme held a ‘Poetry Parlour’ season across Guy’s, St Thomas’ and the Evelina Children’s Hospital in spring 2009.

Hosted by talented wordsmith Paul Sherreard, the Poetry Parlour was a series of fun, creative workshops where staff, patients and visitors could share their thoughts and anecdotes in a relaxed setting.

There were a range of spoken and written activities, as well as music, dressing up, card tricks and ‘Boggle’. During the workshops, participants could also enjoy reading a wide selection of classic, contemporary, comic and children’s poetry.

Drive Ride Walk

In March 2009, the Bridewell Theatre Company presented an exciting piece of musical theatre that reflected the vibrancy of London life to audiences at St Thomas’, Guy’s and the Evelina Children’s Hospital.

Developed by composer Osnat Schmool and director Sabina Netherclift, ‘Drive Ride Walk’ was an exhilarating 30 minutes of musical theatre, sitting somewhere between an opera and a musical.

Nine actors sang thrilling jazz harmonies and used Brazilian body percussion, telling a story through physical performance. Their journeys on foot, by car, tube, and bicycle explored the hilarious and moving struggles of living in the urban jungle.

Sound of Music

Atrium 1 at Guy’s came alive with the Sound of Music when cast members of the hit West End production performed a special lunchtime concert at Christmas 2008.

The seven cast members from one of Britain's best-loved musicals performed a mixture of classic songs from the show and popular Christmas carols to patients and staff. The audience was also in fine voice and joined in with many of the tunes for a sing-a-long.

Black History Month

As part of Black History Month, the London Metropolitan Archives held an event in Governors’ Hall at St Thomas’ on Tuesday 28 October 2008 to celebrate the life and legacy of Mary Seacole. The event was hosted by the Charity’s Performing Arts programme.

A dedicated nurse, and proud of her Jamaican roots, Mary Seacole served in the Crimea alongside Florence Nightingale. Actress Cleo Sylvester brought to life Mary’s story, describing her passion for herbal remedies to cure ailments, surviving cholera and yellow fever herself, and of course her determination to nurse soldiers on the battlefield, despite the discrimination she faced by the authorities.