House Play Festival: The reviews and results

This year, we’ve been lucky enough to experience yet another incredible House Play Festival. Such effort has gone into the production of each of the plays and a huge well done to all pupils who were involved. Also, a big thank you to all staff who have assisted in the making of these wonderful performances.

Oakeley’s House

The 2020 House Play Festival opened with the Oakeley’s House performance of Anger Management and the inclusion of the revered gold and green rugby jersey made one judge feel right at home. Unlike the Wallabies’ recent performances however, Oakeley’s certainly did not disappoint. Set amongst a group therapy session, the members vented their frustrations whilst well-transitioned flashbacks portrayed how each individual ended up there.

Scarlett played an irate maths teacher, McGowan who unsuccessfully attempted to get students to complete his tax return – this left the judges questioning which staff member they’d drawn inspiration from! Despite some questionable Australian accents, the judges acknowledged the clever use of the morphsuit mannequins and the comically relatable driving sequence which ended with a strobe-lit crash. The audience thoroughly enjoyed this opening performance. Well done Oakeley’s.

Watson’s House

Sandwiched between an anger-fuelled comedy and a greasy musical was Watson’s dramatic Fan Fiction: Jedd and Prince, an adaption of Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic Pulp Fiction. The titular characters set out in search of a stolen suitcase but an accidental murder sends the duo down an unexpected path. The judges felt that the cast had a clear understanding of the play and this was well demonstrated through some sinister scenes early on. Prince, turning towards the audience with his face drenched in blood, was especially well received.

The directors chose their cast well and this was reflected in some strong performances, with Jedd and Prince playing particularly effectively off each other. The final scene, a stand-off between Jedd and Prince and Ringo and Camilla, was choreographed nicely and brought the play to a solid end. Well done Watson’s.

Worcester House

There was a real sense of excitement in the Redgrave Theatre as students, staff and parents gathered to await Worcester’s offering of Greasier. The rewrite of the 1978 musical had happened very recently, as the rights were not forthcoming and Annabel did a sterling job. In fact, the names were much more fun and the device of the school putting on a drama helped to maintain the links with the original iconic musical. It’s hard taking on such a familiar piece but this was an enjoyable walk down memory lane. The characterisations were well-judged, particularly the scenes with the K-dogs and the Pink Panthers.

Lighting, costumes and make-up were good and added greatly to the effectiveness of the show. Also the idea for the car and the handing on and off of the microphone gave us the sense of a school production. There was some good interplay between Sandaya and Dannty and on the whole the accents held. The song and dance routines were well rehearsed but, of necessity, short due to copyright issues so just when the audience thought about joining in we were on to the next scene. Thank you Worcester for a lot of fun.

East Town

East Town brought the 1950s comedy crime film The Ladykillers to the stage, with Henry playing a very convincing, albeit slightly taller Mrs Wilberforce; a sweet and eccentric old widow who unknowingly harbours a group of hardened criminals disguised as an amateur string quintet. Carrying instrument cases that veiled their weapons and hoard of cash, the cast successfully used a split stage and lighting transitions for comedic effect.

The judges appreciated the appropriate costumes and make-up that suited the quirky characters and the fact that it was a young cast who will have learned a great deal from the experience. A very commendable production, well done East Town.

Moberly’s House

Traditional sea shanties greeted the audience as we took our seats, eagerly awaiting Moberly’s adaptation of Fisherman’s Friends, a recent hit at the box office. It was immediately apparent that costumes had been well selected, with fishing waders and coveralls aplenty, and the judges felt that the use of props including fishing nets, ropes and a seagull hand puppet was to a high standard throughout. The musical numbers were excellently choreographed, timed and sung; particular highlights being Macca’s moving Widow Woman solo and the Cornish anthem.

The whole theatre was used to good effect, with the stairs repeatedly utilised to emphasise the distance between Danny in Cornwall and Troy and Driss in London. This was a great choice of script for the group and the judges felt the cast had a strong grasp of what was needed to deliver an excellent performance. A final rendition of Drunken Sailor, with full audience participation, brought the play to a rousing crescendo. Great work Moberly’s.

North Town

It was welcome news that we had an ambitious North Town writer keen to make his mark by producing his own script and we were intrigued to see what could be done to tell the story of The Wrestler’s Tragedy through the medium of WWE wrestling. There was a very impactful opening scene with crash mats and ropes around chairs depicting the wrestling arena and a construction at the back of the stage to allow for a TV commentary. It was evident that the staging had been well considered. There was some effectively choreographed tag wrestling throughout the play though we would not have wanted the Head of Health and Safety to see some of the moves or props employed.

It was made clear early on what we were watching was, in fact, an interesting take on Shakespeare’s Three Witches with the tag team wrestlers replacing the Dukes and Kings. We witnessed the wife urging and aiding her husband in ever more ruthless acts in pursuit of sporting ambitions rather than the political power sought for its own sake in Shakespeare’s version. Luca maintained an impressive Scottish accent and there was a clear narrative throughout and, despite one or two unwelcome additions, the premise was good and we are keen that students continue to write their own plays in the future.

The South Town

In light of the recent British political farce, it was rather apt that The South Town chose to stage a political satire based on the British sitcom Yes, Prime Minister. Once again, a strong lead cast saw Louis holding the high office, whilst Christian played the articulate cabinet secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby; Malachy, the troubled Principal Private Secretary Bernard Wooley and Joseph, the brainy policy advisor Claire Sutton – roles that they mastered with character, costume and conviction.

The judges also appreciated their effective use of staging and the lighting through the cleverly positioned rear window. The vast dialogue and execution of brilliant comic timing is testament to a group of accomplished actors and their verbal dexterity. Well done The South Town.

School House

The final play of Tuesday evening saw the Redgrave filled with staff, students and parents excited to see what School House had in store for us this year and they certainly did not disappoint. The Very Unmerry Adventures of Robin Hood was a fun filled farce featuring a talent show like no other. The judges felt that the play was well cast, utilising talent from a wide range of ages in the house. Audience interaction was well received by those on stage, integrating it into the play and was particularly effective during moments of tension. Costumes were to a good standard, especially those of Maid Marion, Billy Shakespeare and Friar Tuck and comic timing was demonstrated well by members of the cast.

This is a genre that School House traditionally revels in putting on and this year was no exception. The audience and cast clearly thoroughly enjoyed the play and left the theatre having had a merry chuckle. Thank you School House.

Holland’s House

It was a first for us as judges to be greeted with the question: “Would you Survive a Zombie Apocalypse?”. Charlotte and Ella narrated their play, 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, effectively for Holland’s and we were treated to a set of scenarios of what to do in the event of an invasion, which they nicely packaged as a result of global warming. There were some good sound effects and use of lighting and as the time went on we got more involved with the four main characters who played a variety of roles, taking a lead illustrating various ways employed to combat the threat. These ranged from sacrificing the weak to utilising Kung Fu and even romancing the Zombies. The seven Zombies were suitably slow and well made-up, repeating their mantra of “brains” as they relentlessly pursued the hapless last survivors of the apocalypse.

The audience thoroughly enjoyed the jokes and seeing the zombies win the battle again and again. There was a good range of ages on stage and the cast obviously enjoyed themselves. So maybe the question should have been ‘would you want to survive a Zombie Attack if everyone else was gone?’ We’ll leave that one for you to answer. Thank you Holland’s.

Hallward’s House

This year, Hallward’s House performed Noel Coward’s comic play Blithe Spirit. Novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth are literally haunted by a past relationship when an eccentric medium – Madame Arcati – inadvertently conjures up the ghost of his first wife, Elvira. From the opening scene the atmospheric use of candles and downlighting drew the audience in, whilst the well choreographed séance scenes, led by the convincing clairvoyant Isis Savage, provided recurring dramatic comedy.

This play was superbly cast, with the actors evidently well rehearsed and able to remain in character throughout the performance. The production was heightened through outstanding costumes and makeup, thoughtfully selected props and effective sound and staging. It was a mature performance which received resounding appreciation from the audience. Well done Hallward’s.

West Town

The last night of the festival opened with West Town and the soundtrack to Shrek, not something you hear every year. The Rehearsal, a play which gives us a peek behind the scenes of a school production, was felt by the judges to be an excellent choice for the house and the impressive cast size. Characterisation was very strong with a high level of attention paid to the movement and mannerisms of certain characters, a special mention to those who portrayed the stereotypical boys with recognisable nods to groups of boys at Clifton.

The use of minimal scene changes enhanced the play, ensuring the pace never dropped and was professionally directed. Props were used to good effect, particularly in those scenes featuring the controlling stage manager Deb which required extra tension. There were strong performances from students across all year groups, including several in the third form, leading us to believe the future looks good for West Town. Well done and thank you for a fun performance.

Wiseman’s House

So we came to the final performance of the House Drama Festival 2020. It’s never easy to be the last play at 9pm but Wiseman’s stepped up to the plate admirably. Having had South Town’s Yes Prime Minister earlier in the week we returned to the early days of Jim Hacker when he was just a Minister in her Majesty’s Government with Yes, Minister. This was an ambitious choice with the dense script and verbal dexterity required but the boys handled this really well and were secure with their lines.

The music that was played as we took our seats and the sound of the chimes of Big Ben immediately transported us to Westminster. The set was simple and well thought out and we enjoyed how the focus moved around the stage particularly when the cast came down into the auditorium for some scenes to draw the audience more closely into the drama. We were treated to some very well-rehearsed performances which involved excellent comic timing and some very good uses of dramatic pauses and it was clear that the cast understood the power struggle between the Minister and the Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey. This play was very much enjoyed by the audience. Well done Wiseman’s.

The winners

A tremendous effort from all houses, you should all be very proud of your hard work and exceptional performances. We are pleased to announce the following winners:

Best production: Moberly’s House with Fisherman’s Friends
Best Drama: Hallward’s House with Blithe Spirit
Best Musical: Moberly’s House with Fisherman’s Friends
Best Comedy: The South Town with Yes, Prime Minister 
Best Director: Lizzie Lyons, West Town
Best Female Actor: Isis Savage, Hallward’s House
Best Male Actor: Christian Greene, The South Town
Best Female Supporting Actor: (Joint) Sofia Walker and Hayden Schrijver, West Town
Best Male Supporting Actor: Charlie Eke, Moberly’s House
Achievement Award: Moberly’s House
Best Third Form Performance: Megan Cook, Holland’s House
Stage Presence Award: Joseph Attwood, The South Town
Artistic Endeavour Award: Watson’s House
Best Choreography: Hallward’s House
Best Staging: Oakeley’s House
Technical Achievement Award: Hallward’s House
Best Costume Design: Moberly’s House
Best Prep Award: West Town
Rising Star Award: Tom Copeland, Wiseman’s House