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DRAMA & DANCE
Then we were transported to the world of Welton Academy with Spenser’s adaptation of Dead Poets Society , which landed them joint third place. The actors delivered an authentic and spirited performance as the gaggle of school boys, conveying both a sense of mourning for their peer, Neil, and of solidarity for Mr Keating’s plight. Special mention must go to Wilf Patten for his intimidating impersonation of the draconian Mr Nolen. Marlowe followed, with their slick version of Simon Stephens’ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (fourth place). I was particularly impressed by the tight, linear choreography and dynamism of the ensemble in recreating the train station’s frenetic atmosphere. Harry Sugden was notably strong as Christopher Boone, convincingly portraying the character’s terror of the world, and determination to find his mother. At the halfway point, Sidney took the stage with their abridged extract of the opening scene of Hamlet . The cast of five managed to conjure a dangerous and uneasy atmosphere on stage, which culminated in an unhinged portrayal of the Ghost, performed by a last-minute understudy! Howard presented an excellent adaptation of The Darkest Hour (joint third place). The ensemble were immediately engaging and captured the quintessentially British feel of the piece, particularly with their trench coats and tweed costumes. Ahimsa Ravi demonstrated nuanced direction, using smart staging to successfully suggest location, and Calum Skinner deserves praise for his physical and vocal skill in capturing Winston Churchill’s persona. For the penultimate performance of the evening, we were treated to a piece devised entirely by Drake: a pacey, laugh- out-loud sketch inspired by Britney4EVA. Sachin Shukla and Zachy Fleming stole the show with their hilarious double act as Katy & Vanessa, two Britney-obsessed motel receptionists. Both were awarded the Special Adjudicator’s Cup for their vibrant energy and immense panache, not to mention the fact that they performed in stilettos! Matthew Boulton and Jack Doye were lauded for grafting behind the scenes as confident devisers and co-directors. To conclude the evening, Jonson impressed with their striking and slick revival of 1984 , for which they were awarded first place. The ensemble were confident physical movers, transitioning into different formations seamlessly, and adding to the tension of Orwell’s dystopian world. Wilf Edwards won Best Actor (shared) for his gritty and visceral performance as Winston, and the piece displayed some sophisticated and controlled direction.
We were treated to a piece devised entirely by Drake: a pacey, laugh- out-loud sketch inspired by Britney4EVA
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