The Arts

Collaborating with St Hilda’s

Our Year 12 ATAR Drama students were fortunate to be invited to St Hilda’s for the annual ISDA Drama Afternoon. Students participated in a series of practical exam-focused workshops, including improvisation, scripted monologue work, and character development.

The event brought together students from a number of schools, including St Hilda’s, Guildford Grammar, and PLC, creating a vibrant and collaborative learning environment. Students made the most of the excellent facilities and concluded the evening with a shared pizza dinner.

A sincere thank you to Lisa and the team at St Hilda’s for hosting such a well-organised and enriching event.

Rhinoceros rules the roost

Year 12 ATAR Drama class recently presented their scripted performance of Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco. Students explored a presentational, absurdist theatre style, incorporating practitioner Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints to shape their work.

Performed in the site-specific location of the terrace, the piece creatively utilised the environment, with metal bars symbolising themes of entrapment and conformity. Despite the tight timeframe, students demonstrated strong commitment and creativity, delivering an engaging and thought-provoking performance.

Congratulations to Naz, Naima, Juliette, Sierra, and Eli on their hard work and achievement.

Exchange Dance a Thriller

Five visiting Japanese students stepped into our dance program, collaborating on a group piece inspired by Thriller by Michael Jackson, which they then performed for the class. The session was full of energy, creativity, and cultural exchange, a fantastic experience for all involved.

IPAF 2026 – Waitlist only

Our sold-out IPAF 2026 takes place on Friday 1 May (Term Two, Week 2) at the Perth Town Hall. IPAF continues to be a highlight of our performing arts calendar, showcasing incredible student talent across dance and drama. If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, or have tickets to return, please contact Mrs McGaw via email

Middle Dance Hip Hop

Our Middle Dance Company has had a fantastic start to the year, with strong involvement from our Year 8 and 9 students. Under the choreography of Miss Mison,students arecurrently developing an exciting hip hop piece. Thank you to Mr Cotterall for his ongoing supervision and support of the company, it has been wonderful to see the group grow in confidence, skill, and teamwork.

Sydney Tour launch 

On Thursday 26 March, we held our final Sydney Tour Launch Night, with 34 students and more than 40 parents and guardians in attendance. The evening provided an opportunity to share final information, distribute tour materials (including jackets, shirts, and itineraries), and confirm key details ahead of departure.

It was a celebratory and positive evening, filled with excitement as we prepare to depart for Sydney from Sunday 5 April to Saturday 11 April.

Thank you to all staff who supported the event and all of those who have been providing positive and supportive feedback and kindness, it was greatly appreciated.

Mamma Mia! – Marketing Day

In Week 7, we held our first Mamma Mia! marketing rehearsal, including the exciting launch of the official show poster.

Students were actively involved in developing promotional material with our Marketing Department and Miss McGaw working on filming and photography, while Miss Watson led the set and props team. Eliza and Alex have also been working tirelessly behind the scenes supporting both costume and set/props teams, their dedication has been invaluable. A big thanks to Sebastian Kinnear for all the filming he did too.

There is a real buzz building around the production, with more photos, videos and even a feature-style promo in the works: stay tuned!

Ms Jessica McGaw

Head of Dance and Drama

Stage adaptation

Our Year 10 Drama students recently presented an exciting series of scene performances from the stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Drawing inspiration from the innovative work of the UK theatre company Frantic Assembly, students explored how physical theatre and ensemble storytelling can transform a script into a dynamic stage experience.

Throughout the unit, students worked collaboratively to realise selected scenes from the play, applying Frantic Assembly’s devising and performance conventions. This included the use of stylised movement, lifts, ensemble choreography, and precise physical storytelling to represent Christopher’s unique perspective of the world. By combining physical theatre techniques with scripted dialogue, students were able to create visually engaging performances that captured the emotional intensity and imaginative staging associated with the professional production.

Well done to our Year 10 Drama students for embracing the challenge of physical theatre and bringing this remarkable story to life on stage. Their work showcased not only strong performance skills but also a deep understanding of contemporary theatre-making practices.

Miss Maisy Watson

Drama & Dance Teacher