EDUCATION: KRISTIN SCHOOL
Tim Gunn in Richard III - Best 5 Minute Scene at the Auckland West Festival.
Rachel Harding as King Lear and Charlie Kinnear as the Fool in King Lear.
Barnaby Donaldson as Regan and Svetlana Bell as Cornwall in King Lear.
The Cast of King Lear.
Alex Gordon as Gloucester and Luca Harris as Edgar Poor Tom in King Lear.
Year 13 Drama Production and SGCNZ UOSWSF Coming back to school after our COVID-19 lockdown, a wide range of students was keen to resume their explorations into all things Shakespearean. Our Year 13 Drama students presented the first Kristin performing arts event to an external audience when they offered their own fresh interpretation of ‘King Lear’, the play that Shakespeare wrote during his own ‘lockdown’ due to the plague in 1606. Set in the present and inspired by ‘Megxit’ in the UK and other current events, the production brought ‘King Lear’ up to date in a version where Lear’s decision to step down from being King and divide her kingdom among her sons had disastrous consequences. Both performances in the Dove Theatre attracted large and appreciative audiences who found themselves part of the first scene of the show, which took place at a party in the very pretty surroundings of the auditorium foyer. It was lovely to see the audience members enjoying their light refreshments one moment, and then captivated by the situation that played out in front of them the next. The audience saw a show that combined strong performances, comedy and tragedy in equal measure. One audience member commented that the students showed “clear characterisations and command of the language” with “comedic touches [that] made the emotional and tragic moments even more heart-wrenching”. Another audience member called the production “an amazing night of theatre” and commented that it was “an absolute joy to see such brilliant ensemble work”. Others in the audience thought it was a “brilliant performance” and “a brilliant night”. The entire cast (Svetlana Bell, Sarah Cabré, Barnaby Donaldson, Alex Gordon, Tim Gunn, Rachel Harding, Paris Hare, Luca Harris, Emma Hoseason, Charlie Kinnear, Cam Scott and Jacob Watson-Jones) earned every bit of praise they received for their performances. They worked incredibly hard to present performances of such high quality, and their
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Issue 112 - August 2020 www.channelmag.co.nz
outstanding achievement is a great credit to them. Shortly before the public performances, an extract from this production of ‘King Lear’ was entered into the Auckland West SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival, alongside seven other scenes involving 35 Kristin students from the Middle and Senior Schools. This Festival is open to schools across Auckland, and for the very first time this year, all entries were filmed and submitted as videos due to the constraints of lockdown and the subsequent alert levels. Jason Hodzelmans, industry professional and assessor at the Festival commented very positively on ‘King Lear’, recognising “a strong, centred performance from Lear” played by Rachel Harding. Jess Loudon, the second assessor at the Festival, complimented the cast on “outstanding performances from Lear, Edmund (Sarah Cabré) and Gloucester (Alex Gordon)” noting that these performers showed “spectacular vocal clarity, understanding of the text and maintained the stakes throughout – bravo!” At the end of the Auckland West Festival, we were thrilled when our students received a number of prestigious awards from the assessors. Kristin was awarded: Best Stage Design (Titus Andronicus); Best Connection Between Two Performers (Tim Gunn and Josh Sumner); Most Promising Actors (Rachel Harding and Isla Sangl); Runner Up to Best 15 Minute Scene (King Lear); Runner Up to Best 5 Minute Scene (Julius Caesar); Best 5 Minute Scene (Richard III), and the SGCNZ UOSWSF NSSP Direct Entry Award given to Rebecca Weatherly. We are absolutely delighted that for the second year running, Kristin will be sending a scene to the National Festival and a student to National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP). This is a remarkable tribute to the hard work and creativity that our students have shown throughout a difficult time. These extraordinary results are also a testament to the support and encouragement of our parents and the dedication of our Drama teachers. Leigh Sykes - Curriculum Leader – Drama
