Performing Arts 

Puffs

Through thick and thin, the Year 12 Theatre class put together our production Puffs (a parody of Harry Potter), constantly working together and bouncing ideas off each other to create a cohesive and fun performance. 

Our many rehearsals have been the foundation of our production, as together we had all created a cohesive atmosphere where we all felt included as a part of the group and created core relationships which helped to create the Puffs being as one. Through the many interactive and intense group warm-ups, the clunky yet charming rehearsals, and the deadline closing in on us, we all bonded over our shared concerns and horrifying realisation as to how soon the play would be. This then made the relationships between our characters on stage that much more believable. Even being held back after school for multiple rehearsals on Mondays, while painful, allowed us to pull through and really work out the fine details of the play, making it a more professional looking play, while still feeling like a group of friends. 

Whilst performing our play Puffs as a class, we were surprised and encouraged by the reactions of the audience! From the cheering when Leanne mass murders the Death Eaters to the gross “ewwws” and uncomfortable laughter during Voldy’s affectionate rewarding, the audience created a energetic and supportive environment for us to perform in. 

After 5 painstaking months, through sickness and even more sickness, through magic, energy drinks, lolly snakes and Puff-hugs, we created a show that will leave a legacy to prove that the year 2024 Theatre is better than all the rest. We all bonded together as close as Freddy’s tongue to Eddy’s ear. From Meija’s attempted erection, to Claire's cartwheels, to Lauren’s Abby-Lee-esque choreography, to Dash’s deathly breakdancing, to the merciless bullying of Areta, to Will’s obnoxious training wand, to Molly’s mind blowing narration, to Jerome because he’s “basically the best”, to Ruby’s celebration of school cancelation, to that thing Annie did… it was amazing, to Sophie’s motivational monologues, to almost the entire class being sick on the day of the performance, we were, we are, and despite how much we might go through, we always will be, the Puffs.

- The Puffs of Year 12 Theatre, 2024.

Shakespeare Festival.

Earlier this term, we saw the staging of the 2024 Shakespeare Festival - and for the fourth year in a row, our fantastic students impressively strutted and fretted their hour upon the stage. The Year 9 Drama class presented a hilarious, dance filled, colourful extravaganza of a performance with their A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Our Year 11 Theatre class presented a thrilling journey through the dark corners of William Shakespeare’s plays as they brought to life some of the most powerful scenes of treachery and villainy. The Year 11 production spanned four of Shakespeare’s works, exploring the depths of malevolent characters in "Othello", "Richard III", "King Lear", and "Titus Andronicus", in villainous vignettes.

It was a wonderful, enthusiastic and supportive audience, that allowed our beautiful students an opportunity to see that, indeed, all the world is a stage.