Performance Drama

We do a large number of productions, normally totaling four or five in each year. Please click here for a list of productions we've done in the last few years. As you will see, some also have reviews, and/or photos.

Lower School (Years 3, 4, & 5)

Each Spring a cast is chosen from an overwhelming number of volunteers from Forms D, E and F to rehearse the Lower School Play. While there will, doubtless, be some pupils who are more talented than others, the policy is to include every volunteer at least once in those three years. The aim is not to offer an "A-team" type of best but, rather, to give the child the experience of the rehearsal process, developing a character, interacting with others as their contribution grows, being on stage and performing the character. The purpose is educational. Much can be learned about team-work, responsibility and presentation from taking part in the performance of a play. Large cast musicals and plays tend to be avoided because merely standing on stage in a costume is not considered to provide much worth. Far better the cast size is manageable so that each performer enjoys a good bite of the rehearsal process. Titles have included: Rudolf, The Miracle Plays, Percival the Performing Pig, Captain Blackboot's Island, Holy Joe, Crime Doesn't Pay, Captain Blackboot and the Wallamagrumba, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Witch Who Nicked Happiness.

The C Form (Year 6)

This year is an interesting stage because, generally speaking, it is the oldest the children can get before adolescent self-consciousness creeps in. Consequently the number of volunteers is still overwhelming. Most can act and all certainly believe they can act. The cast is chosen from those who, in the previous year, did little or nothing on stage. This is in the interest of fairness and in continuing the educational policy set out above. Titles have included: Fantastic Mr Fox, Who's Thelma?, Bill's New Frock, The Big Race, Porky Pies, The Coming of the Kings, School Play, The Shoemaker and The Good Clown and the Bad Clown.

The B Form (Year 7)

Being the oldest year before the Common Entrance Examination year, the most challenging play of the year is taken on by the B Form. By now some children have decided acting is not for them; however, there are still plenty of volunteers. Some plays are rehearsed over half a term, some over a term but this begins the process, with two hobbies a week, a term and a half before the production date. This gives time for a slightly longer play and a greater nurturing rehearsal process than for others. The depth of feeling and maturity of understanding has often been astounding. Titles have included: You, Me and Mrs Jones, Whale, Anansi, The Roses of Eyam, Solomon's Cat, The Silver Sword, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Playing from the Heart.

The A Form (Year 8)

With the Common Entrance Examination occurring this year, volunteers from the A Form perform a short play before the Autumn half term. This is rehearsed intensively over five weeks. The idea is to leave plenty of uninterrupted time for their intensive studies and revision later. The play is, generally, light-hearted such as Ghost Writer or The Hole in the Wall   but we have produced  Shakespeare’s Macbeth as well as Rabbit by David Foxton which, being set post nuclear war, was spine-chillingly powerful.

 

Despite the advancing adolescent self-consciousness referred to earlier, most of the year group (and, one year, that meant ninety-six!) opt to take part in the A Form Musical. This starts rehearsals with the principal performers after Easter and mushrooms after Common Entrance with the inclusion of the chorus. The mood of the cast and the play is celebratory but a great deal is learned and accomplished in ways which contrast most welcomely after the rigours of the exams. Titles have included: Tin Pan Ali, Larkrise, Annie, Bugsy Malone, The Wind in the Willows, Henry the Tudor Dude, Me and My Girl and The Demon Headteacher.

The Staff and the Pupils Together

Every so often the pattern changes; sometimes year groups combine and, in the autumn, we produce a musical play which combines members of the staff and members of each year group. In Oklahoma! we had teenage Gaps singing love songs to Pre-Prep teachers and knee-high cowboys beating up house parents. In Peter Pan we had a child Pan terrifying a Staff Hook and a teacher-dog terrifying the Ground Staff. A great time was had by all!