DULWICH DRAMA
screen with the English Department Upper Case creative writers, and Upper School students went to the Vaults to see him in Fiji, which scooped him an Off West End nomination in 2022. Eddie’s role is highly valued as he lends all pupils an informed understanding of the process of playmaking and engagement with the wider industry, sharing current methodologies and theatre practice. His ‘Netflix’ writer’s room seminars have become a staple of Friday afternoon teaching, with the buzz of creativity in evidence often leading to rowdy competitive pitching to herald the start of the weekend. All in a Day’s Work… There were endless inspiring schemes of work embracing school-wide free learning projects, including Eco Week’s sustainability Drowning in Plastic dance theatre scheme, while to support DC IAM the Drama Department pledged to be unapologetically themselves by taking an off-kilter approach to identity with the project Matilda – Change your story… This was an immersive celebration of origi- nality, personality, spirit and just ‘a little genius’ as pupils were guided gently in the direction of ‘the real you’. This immersive experience was echoed during Mental Health Trust and fearlessness have been evident in the rehearsal room
F rom storming Founder’s Day 2022 with excerpts from the Lower School production of Matilda to toe-tapping or crooning their way through the Mich- aelmas term during preparations for the Senior produc- tion of Me and My Girl , Alleynians from all year groups have relished every opportunity to showcase their talents. Commensurately, they have also invested in upskilling themselves with renewed rigour, reminding us all of what can be achieved when firing on all cylinders without fear of productions being postponed or ‘bubbled’. Much of the work produced has been thrilling. The Dulwich can-do mentality has pervaded every ambitious request, whether for new and challenging scripts embracing the diversity of the world around us, or completely reconfiguring the space on a seemingly weekly basis. Steered by our ever-ingen- ious team of teachers, technicians and practitioners, the students showed that their ambition knew no bounds. The EAT has seen an astonishing variety of productions, examination practical work, House plays, workshops and collaborative projects, often working closely with our fellow creatives in Music and Art. A notable example of inter-de- partmental collaboration was the commemorative arts engagement project Echo Eternal inspired by Holocaust survivor testimony to promote respect and understanding between different communities. In response to the testimo- ny of Maurice Blik, puppeteer Pippa Church worked with pupils on bringing moments of his story to life with some wonderful tabletop puppets, which were incorporated into a showcase of original composition, dance and drama. Gifted and talented dancers across the Senior School collaborated with JAGS students and the professional company Motionhouse, renowned for creating highly physical dance-circus productions. The Bear Pit Theatre Whether or not the sun shone in SE21, Dulwich Drama determinedly came out to play, says Kathryn Norton-Smith
industry to foster and nurture talent both on and off stage in our budding performers, directors and designers. Actor Hamish Lloyd Barnes OA worked with our A-level pupils, and Phoebe Campbell hosted a seminar with our GCSE students after their visit to English Touring Theatre’s re- invention of Oscar Wilde’s iconic play The Importance of Being Earnest. Students quizzed Campbell about director Denzel Westley-Sanderson’s aim to look at this Victorian world of mannered comedy through a different lens, as well as techniques used to interpret the role of Cecily. Campbell shared valuable insights into the craft of acting and indeed the wider industry, including playing Rhaena Targaryen in the HBO blockbuster House of The Dragon. We entertained the whole of Year 9 with Lewis Doherty’s one-man show BOAR , which was epic storytelling – small in scale but big in ambition – playing homage to ’80s and ’90s fantasy adventure films like Willow, Dragon Slayer and Legend . Doherty took on over 40 characters, made 90% of the sound effects, and mimed every single prop … and there was even a dragon! Thanks to his expert skill, students were able to conjure the imagined scenarios, and we were all convinced we’d seen arrows fly and heads roll in this action-packed hour. Our Practitioner in Residence, Eddie Elliott OA, shared his expertise as a writer developing scripts for stage and
Company for Middle School students was launched, to allow them to engage with theatre practice and page- to-stage skills on a weekly basis. Having explored Jack Thorne’s vampiric tale Let the Right One In , they are currently in rehearsal with JAGS students for a scratch production of Vivienne Franzmann’s The IT, a darkly comic state-of-the-nation play exploring adolescent mental health and the rage within. Senior students were involved with a kaleidoscopic A Midsummer Night’s Dream at JAGS, a treat of a production featuring some of our most accomplished actors in the Upper School and transporting us to heady wild thyme banks in the depths of winter. Twenty-four House plays have been staged, embracing new writing across the world from the global majority in the Upper School, old favourites and original adapta- tions in the Middle School and excerpts from musicals in the Lower School. We have welcomed adjudicators and practitioners from emerging and leading figures in the
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THE ALLEYNIAN 711
DRAMA & DANCE
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