This week, we had A Conversation With... Mrs Sian Pearson, who joined Shiplake in August 2013 as a Drama teacher and tutor in Welsh House. Since joining, Mrs Pearson has held the roles of acting Housemaster of Welsh; Deputy Housemaster of Skipwith and is currently Deputy Housemaster of Gilson.
What does your average day entail?
One of the things I love about my job is that there isn't really an average day. Generally though, I get up early to work or walk Teg, my Border Collie, then deal with various queries from the girls, read emails for notices to give out in check and catch up with Mrs Higgins, our Housemaster and Lou, our matron, before check. I then go to assembly, chapel or run tutor periods. Then there's the usual school day, in periods where I'm not teaching I mark, complete course or department admin, and deal with any pastoral issues that need input from me. If Teg is in school I take him for a brief walk at morning break; if it's a Thursday I go back to Gilson to run tuck. At lunch, if Teg is in school, he gets more exercise, sometimes I am on housemaster's dinner duty or have to run rehearsals or line learning, so Lou is very kind and takes Teg for me. Three afternoons a week I either run or co-run drama clubs; or coach Archery. On afternoons where I don't run activities, we often have Drama meetings to deal with department admin - booking shows, coaches and meals; organising the Edinburgh festival trip; organising our various productions; ensuring our exam marking is in line with the exam board etc. However, I share an allotment with Mr Macpherson so hopefully as the weather improves, I will be able to spend some time digging and planting. Before supper, I run a drama clinic on Mondays and am on duty in Gilson on Tuesdays and alternate Fridays. Occasionally, I am on housemaster's supper duty. Before supper or later on my evenings off, I walk Teg and go through his training exercises - he's very intelligent and has a lot of energy so I have to make sure this has an outlet. Thursdays and alternate Fridays and Sundays I am on duty in Gilson from 7.00pm until 11.00pm, and I take over from Miss Mordue as duty tutor on Tuesdays at 10.15pm. When I'm on house evening duty I ask the girls to leave the common room at 10.30pm, switch off all the electrical appliances - apart from the fridge! - switch off the lights and lock the common room. I then prepare the daily notice board for the following morning, tour the house to make sure everyone is in their own room. Once the house is quiet I set our intruder alarm and go to bed! Every other weekend I'm on duty, so on Saturdays I run check with the girls, take them to Tesco if needed and am generally available if a taxi doesn't turn up or if someone just needs a chat.
What is the best play or production that you’ve ever seen, and what made it so?
This is very difficult because different plays stand out for different reasons. Transluna Paradise, by Ad Infinitum Theatre was exceptional because the mask performance was so beautifully poignant and so well executed. I judge a performance by how long I need to be quiet and process what I've seen after it ends. I was lucky enough to see Pina Bouche's Rites of Spring, in Paris, more than 20 years after studying videos of her choreography at college, and, this is going to sound very pretentious, but I could barely speak to anyone until the following morning. It overwhelmed me.
Which Shiplake production did you have most fun directing?
It has to be Bugsy Malone, as it was the first production Mrs Nunes and I worked on! It involved students from each year group in the school, we turned the Tithe Barn into a speakeasy, complete with secret bar, and of course we had custard pies and splurge guns. Although I did think I might be fired the day of the final performance as we had some VIP audience members and lets face it, we were giving out about 40 custard pies and splurge guns to teenage boys. What could possibly go wrong?!
What did you enjoy most about living on a house boat?
I loved waking up in the morning and watching reflections of water on the wooden ceiling; curling up with a book and our dog on the sofa in front of a woodburner when a storm was raging outside; being able to change the view from the kitchen, living room or bedroom whenever we felt like it; being very in tune with the seasons and weather.
In a biographic about your life, who would play Sian Pearson, and who would narrate it?
Students have said Judi Dench, which I found a bit upsetting as she is at least 20 years older than me, but it's Judi Dench so I'm sure she could play someone a bit younger than herself, and it's Judi Dench! If I was going to be involved in the production as an adviser, I would definitely have Brian Blessed, Simon Pegg or Billy Connolly narrating it as I would get to hang out with them.
If you were frozen in ice for 100 years, what would be the first question you’d ask when you were defrosted?
Can I have a cup of tea? Oh it would be awful. Everyone you cared about would be dead.
What does the future hold for Sian Pearson?
Continuing to teach, write and try new things for as long as possible. Long, long term I think I would like to eventually live in either Scotland or West Wales. I hope I will always be involved in helping young people develop their interests and abilities, apart from enjoying it - I don't want to end my life in a home with everyone my own age reminiscing about the past. I have prepared for this eventuallity however, and have a deal with a former student to break me out if he gets a call from me in that said home.
