DRAMA
HOLDING THE MIRROR UP TO NATURE
Kathryn Norton-Smith ÇǠ ¯ÐË »¶Ð¨Ý}ãШ}ÐÇ}Рӯݪ¨¨}Ë Ð¨ªËã}Ç»µ}¢»ÇÓµ¢»Çª}Ë
A s the audition lists grow refreshing that the founding spirit of creativity is alive and well at Dulwich. With an ever-mindful nod to the past while looking forward to the 400th anniversary of the College in 2019, this year the boys have been actively engaged by the power of theatre not just to make us laugh, but also to move us and ultimately provoke and make us think. Plaudits and praise for the many longer and the popularity of play-making increases, it is productions and House Drama festivals abound, but in holding ‘as ’twere, the mirror up to nature’, Dulwich boys are recognising theatre as a forum for debate, to engage and remind us of the world around us. And some difficult subject matter has ignited the EAT this year. Mental health, particularly amongst young people, is a zeitgeist issue and Year 9 students were absorbed in the verbatim theatre presentation Comet , performed by Shaun Blaney from Replay Theatre Co. This one- man show is an emotive and thought- provoking examination of the stories of young men and their explorations of isolation from the society in which they
live. The charged and confrontational nature of this piece of theatre touched a chord with so many boys. In keeping with awareness of current issues, some of our most sophisticated A-level practitioners chose to adapt Ralph Ellison’s allegorical novel Invisible Man . The issues of racial division in 1950s America seem more relevant than ever to Alleynians bruised and bewildered by the politics of isolation. And Year 10 boys have just performed with their peers at JAGS in Holly McKinlay’s piece, Genesis , which presents genetic tampering and an NHS in crisis, again engaging with current societal controversies. The ever-present shadow of the centenary of WW1 provided stimulus for a revival of Frank McGuiness’ Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme , for USHD, and boys relished the thrilling Frantic Assembly-inspired production performed and directed by OAs, All Quiet On The Western Front , which transferred from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe via an off-Broadway run for a one-off show in Dulwich. This summer marks the centenary of Passchendaele and Lower School boys are beginning rehearsals for the staging of Private
Peaceful , sure to create yet another lump in the throat and give a chilling reminder of the terrible waste. This year has seen the Drama Department at the forefront of co- educational provision at Dulwich, with JAGS girls joining the boys in three productions in the Upper and Middle Schools as well as several workshops and live theatre trips. Once again, we have been able to introduce boys to industry professionals including actors from the Cheek by Jowl production of The Winter’s Tale honing approaches to Shakespearean text with Year 12 pupils; choreographer and practitioner Zak Nemorin extending skills with A-level students; Ekow Quartey (OA) delivering a terrific adjudication for LSHD; and Ned Bennett (OA), awarded UK Theatre Award for Best Director for Pomona , talking to Upper School boys about his new show Octoroon . At the time of writing, the walls of the EAT are still ringing with the clash of swords from Prince Of Denmark , with plans afoot to revive some of the spectacular fight sequences on Founder’s Day, and Year 2 DUCKS soldiers are guarding Humpty Dumpty…
110
Made with FlippingBook Online document