It’s panto time……oh yes it is!

The Year 9 Drama club has been running since the start of the academic year. It currently has at least fifteen regulars who have a keen interest in performing, directing, dancing, script writing or technical design. Once the group was formed we had a lot of initial ideas including, an educational piece targeted towards primary school children. But when it came to voting the group unanimously decided to go with the pantomime ‘Cinderella’.

The students were given the option to either engage in rehearsed improvisation to create the pantomime from scratch, or to write a full script from scratch. Former student Eve Hughes volunteered her time to take on the role and wrote a comical piece, which was easily adaptable to suit the cast. Cinderella was originally planned to be presented to an audience just after the Christmas holidays. But due to COVID-19 it was placed on hold… but not for long!

Once the group started again in March, it was action stations! Nathan Wilson, Thomas Pyrah and George Williams stepped in as lighting and sound design. Ella McArdle was appointed assistant director, choreographer and costume designer! Miss Heslop, Drama Teacher, wants this to be a team effort and for the students to take on responsibilities, to enable them to experience what it is like to work in the performing arts industry and how difficult it can be to put on a performance.

Miss Heslop said: “The level of determination, resilience, creativity and drive never fails to amaze me every week. The industry is extremely challenging and all students have taken to this project with great ease. It’s a pleasure watching them grow!”

Cinderella will hopefully be filmed and shown to an audience in July. So watch this space!