School News
Sixth Form Drama Study Weekend
News posted: 05-02-2009
Ten sixth form drama students, Head of Drama Mrs Davies, and a courageous Miss Cowan embarked on the annual Drama and Theatre Studies residential weekend at Llanberis Youth Hostel in North Wales. This is an intensive rehearsal session in preparation for the students’ practical A level examination. It is also a joint venture with the Drama Department of Birkenhead High School. This arrangement enables us to not only hire the entire youth hostel but also to have outside constructive criticism and the experience of watching other A level groups in rehearsal.
This year the group have chosen Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as their text and we were able to fit in watching a matinee production of the play performed by the Propeller Company at the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre; this was not only inspirational but comfortably broke our journey to Wales.
During the weekend students worked fairly constantly on the 40-minute section from the play they have selected. 17 hours of line learning, experimenting and movement rehearsal as well as 4 full performances in front of staff and students from Birkenhead High School was fitted in to a busy schedule. This performance is very physical and students went home a trifle bruised from their enthusiastic tussles with script and fellow actors. Lighting and set designers were able to plan in peace as well as look in on the acting to note where the spotlights and indeed the crash mats needed to be placed. In all it was a very hard-working, satisfying and successful weekend.
The performance, which is also an examination, will take place on Friday, 6th March at 7pm in the Girls’ Hall.
