http://www.19-27.co.uk/
This is a fantastic website. Packed full of innovative graphics, video clips, and silly historical facts this site is a great primer for helping one understand the quirky surrealistic mindset of this theater troop.
Highlights of 1927's Website
"Listen and Hear" section: Features audio recordings of Suzanne Andrade's quirky poems. My favorite was "The Lodger". It features the creepy synchronized monotone voices of the sinster sisters describing the strange smells emanating from their lodger's room as they peep through the keyhole of his door.
"1927 Live section: Watch an extended promotional video featuring some of the best effects from the show.
"Meat The Devil" section: Features three animated shorts focusing on the devil. Watch "The Devil's Children Have the Devil's Luck". I never thought that paper cut outs of children could creep me out as much as the ones in this clip did.
Visit 1927's website: http://www.19-27.co.uk/
Item #2: British 80's culture mini crash course
I often wonder how much funner Monty Python would be if I had grown up in Britain and been familiar with British culture. In this play there are also many allusions to British culture that are unfamiliar to American audiences. One example of this is a skit in the scene "Between" where the sinster twins play an adaptation of "Mallet's Mallet" a game popularized on the 80's children's TV show "Wacaday". Below is a clip from the show featuring the "Mallet's Mallet" game.
Classroom connection lesson:
The juxtaposition of past and present in Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea inspired a multi media lesson for the language arts classroom. This lesson is also an adaptation of an online graphic design contest. The premise is simple. Challenge students to create an advertisement for a modern product that uses the tone, diction, and imagery from a period in history. Here is an example of an image created for the online contest:
see more images from this contest at: http://www.worth1000.com/contest.asp?contest_id=18731&display=photoshop
