MIDDLE SCHOOL HOUSE DRAMA
Lord of the Flies The evening opened with an eye-catching tableau from the cast of Sidney’s Lord of the Flies . The cast worked in a beautiful synergy, creating a great overall piece, while still giving each ensemble member an opportunity to shine, with notable cameos from George Pink (Year 11) and Henry Money (Year 9). What a strong start to the evening. Legally Blonde Howard took a more comedic approach to the stage. Calum Skinner (Year 11) did a fantastic job of adapting Legally Blonde for the stage of the EAT. Alex Sandigursky (Year 10) would have done Reese Witherspoon proud with his portrayal of Elle Woods. Everything from timing and delivery, to homage to the screenplay and film, was top notch. Quiz Grenville, my former House, really made the stage their own with Quiz. The top-notch stagecraft took us between individual interviews and the television studio seamlessly. It was clear that time, consideration and effort had gone into delivering such a slick performance, and it paid off. A shout-out to Natey Wilson (Year 11) for his insouciant charm as the oleaginous Chris Tarrant.
lated the hardship, fear and unknowing of the early days of the HIV epidemic. Hats off to Toby for his brilliant direction and conviction in choosing a play with such hard-hitting themes.
Norse myth, Frankenstein’s monster at the top of Mont Blanc, Elle Woods, a giant murderous flea and Chris Tarrant all in one bill – what more could we have asked for? wonders Kathryn Norton Smith
B ravo and congratulations to the 70+ students from Years 9, 10 and 11 who participated in this year’s Middle School House Drama festival. The stand- ard of work created was extremely high and the owner- ship of the chosen material and generosity of ensemble playing were wholly laudable. The theatrical ambition reached still further heights with the addition of a shark- stooth gauze suspended from the rig and exploited to the full with the layering of different narratives to conceal and reveal shifting locations and worlds. The diverse pro- gramme included a thrilling mix of old favourites, inven- tive adaptations and also original work, all peppered with a healthy dose of magical realism. Our adjudicator for the evening, Jerome Reid OA, delivered an incisive and excel- lent adjudication, which we have reproduced here. The cast’s employment of physical theatre techniques to enhance sensitive and nuanced performance work from the entire ensemble brought not just the piece, but the stage, to life I feel truly honoured to have been invited back to the Edward Alleyn Theatre, my second home and the starting point of my career. Bravo to the multitude of students who took part in such a fantastic celebration of Drama in the Middle School with the annual House competition. The EAT has always had a soft spot in my heart, espe- cially the time I spent there during the Middle School, so seeing such wonderful performances from all eight Houses was a treat.
Frankenstein Spencer took the stage, after a brief interval, and mes- merised me (and I’m sure the entire audience). While familiar with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , I’ve never seen it brought to life so brilliantly. The room was held on tenterhooks as Wilf Patten (Year 11) took command of Nick Dear’s stage adaptation in a manner deserving of the West End. In a very strong field, Wilf took home the Best Actor cup for his sensitive and moving portrayal of Frankenstein’s Monster. The cast’s employment of phys- ical theatre techniques to enhance sensitive and nuanced performance work from the entire ensemble brought not just the piece, but the stage, to life. Very well done Spenser: well-deserved winners.
The Normal Heart I find it hard to articulate just how powerful Jonson’s performance of an extract from The Normal Heart was. Rounding out the first half of House Drama, this skilled ensemble left the room in awe and contemplation. The performances of Toby Polli (Year11) and Joseph Mathews (Year 10) stuck with me, as they truly encapsu-
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THE ALLEYNIAN 711
DRAMA & DANCE
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