Yer a wizard, Harry...

In days of yore, I taught drama at a creative arts summer camp. The camp was a five-week intensive that produces three mainstage productions in addition to almost one hundred other arts courses in a variety of media. The student earned a comprehensive arts education and worked tirelessly in studios and onstage. However about twenty years ago, our progress at camp ground to a halt to the point where we were concerned about our ability to mount our productions. It was not for lack of interest or creative snafus. We couldn’t get anything done at camp because the students wanted to do something else with their time: read Harry Potter.

Rowling released her books every summer, and the mania was contagious. Kids formed impromptu book groups; they would stop work on their arts projects and debate Harry’s latest questionable life choices (he grew to be quite unlikable in later books). As artists, we were frustrated with our lack of progress, but as educators, we found it hard to ask the kids to stop reading because we had work to do. Whatever criticism that the cynical and joyless have levied on Rowling’s literary worthiness, it cannot be denied that her work has touched millions of young people and made reading cool again. It was evident today in the countless British schoolchildren in their Hermione robes, brandishing their wands and cuddling their Crookshanks; it was also evident in the boundless joy and excitement our Brimmer students had today exploring the movie sets and displays of props and costumes at the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studios Tour. 

Warner Brothers has crafted a wonderful exhibit honoring both the work of Rowling and the incalculable number of film artists who created the movies and the magic of moviemaking in general. Students got up close and personal with actual set pieces and props, engaging with slick interactive displays showing how stories translate to a visual medium. 

And this was all after a nice visit to the British Museum this morning. Displaying their trademark Brimmer curiosity, the students made an immediate beeline to the Rosetta Stone and wandering through the panoply of artifacts from the far reaches of the globe. Many students enjoyed the Egyptian exhibits, and the Brimmer “lifers” fondly remembered their 3rd grade Egypt projects. Throughout the morning, we talked about the ethical quandary that such a museum presents to visitors. While the students appreciated the historical significance of the artifacts, they were also appropriately critical of the policies that would empower Britain to feel like this items belonged to the Empire. 

In all it has been a remarkably full day. We are on our way to dinner and then back to our hotel. Tomorrow is another busy day. We will visit the South Bank, have our workshop at the Globe, see the Museum of London, and attend a performance of The Woman in Black. So much to do... we could certainly use Hermione’s Time Turner.