Speech and Drama training students once again excelled themselves at the annual spring Showcase for family and friends. With an imaginative array of splendid costumes and props, the participants enthusiastically took to the stage to demonstrate some of their forthcoming examination work.
Year 6 pupils, Nyah and Amara, launched proceedings with the eternally enjoyable ‘Anne of Green Gables’ by L.M.Montgomery. Jenny and Seren (Year 8) revealed why Kenneth gets cooked in the final scene of Debbie Isitt’s ‘The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband’. Other comedy followed, including Florence and Romilly (also Year 8) giving a taste of classical Victoria Wood in ‘Good Fun’; Pietas (Year 9) performing the exasperated Edna in Neil Simon’s ‘The Prisoner of Second Avenue’ and Rosalie and Lila from Year 5 delighting the audience with the ‘dentist’ scene from Paddington on stage.
Tragedy also swept through the programme with some particularly moving performances from ‘Kindertransport’ by Diane Samuels performed with great sensitivity by Peyton and Megan from Year 7, and Anya (Year 10) revealed a mother’s torment at her son’s murder in ‘The Long Road’, with Connie and Opal from Year 10, delivering a powerful performance in a later scene of this Shelagh Stephenson play, between the bereaved mother and her son’s killer, Emma. AiVy from Year 6 captured the essence of Christopher as he recounts the realisation that his mother is alive in ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime’ by Mark Haddon.
Anya, Maya and Chloe ably substituted on the night for absentees, ensuring everyone had the opportunity to perform; special thanks go to them.
Aside from the acting scenes, Natalie (Year 7) shared her special interest in Japan with particular reference to food, places and traditions. Year 5 pupil Robyn delighted us with Steve Turner’s ‘The Death of a Fly’ whilst Isla pleaded ‘It Wasn’t Me’ by the same poet.
Maya (Lower 6) rounded off the evening with energetic performances from two of her Grade 8 pieces playing Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ and Tennessee Williams’ Blanche Dubois in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’
Mrs Harris thanked and congratulated Miss Tendler ‘for the magnificent Showcase Evening’, adding how she enjoyed, ‘lots of impressive
and confident performances from the students.’
Miss Tendler also wishes to thank everyone who supported and participated in the event.
