2016/17 was full of creative and cultural activity as any other. At the start of a new school year, the Boys’ Division launched a project with the aim of achieving the highest level of Artsmark Award, an Arts Council standard mark for the quality of cultural and creative activity carried out in schools. We are now midway through that process, and School looks forward to increasing its arts provision from Gold to Platinum standard in the coming year: engaging with the local community and steering cultural curriculum.
Artsmark celebrates schools which champion the arts both in the curriculum and beyond, across the whole of school life. The awards are also designed to give schools access to high quality, practical resources and networks. The Parents Association has done much to support the standard of resources available to the boys this year: screen-printing kit, mobile lighting equipment and music technology gear are all impressive new additions, courtesy of the PA Wish List, to augment creative activity in School.
There are plans to strengthen the School’s partnership with the Octagon Theatre, and embed and extend the Arts Award provision to include arts leadership opportunities across and between School’s creative arts departments. Supporting student-led initiatives and creativity remains important. Enhancing the content and delivery of the pastoral curriculum through cultural and arts activity is another priority.
The School also aims to be recognised as a national leader in terms of the breadth and depth of arts and cultural involvement, partnership work and innovation. The School has taken a steering role in Bolton’s Local Cultural Educational Partnership (LCEP), one of fifty such enterprises supported by Arts Council
England. Work within the LCEP will help to enhance schools’ relationships with creative enterprise in the local area.
Secondary teachers meeting to discuss Bolton’s Cultural Education offer at Smithills Hall.
With the wide range of high-quality arts and cultural experiences available to boys already, and with a commitment in place to improve these as time goes on, the School is now looking forward to further developing into an institution worthy of the Platinum Artsmark Award.
Early in September, pupils in Year 9 broadened their knowledge of Shakespeare’s tragedies with the Globe Theatre’s storytellers. The focus was on Macbeth and, as well as describing the whole of the plot, the session allowed the boys to get to grips with key quotations, important themes and character details that are vital for understanding this famous play.
The workshop was interactive throughout and encouraged pupils to get involved as storytellers. As each of the one-man performances unfolded (the year group was split into two audiences), the boys suggested what characters’ motivations might be and what they could say in different situations, provided atmospheric sound effects, simulated props and even took on minor roles themselves.
The Year 9 pupils went on to study Romeo and Juliet in class later in the Autumn Term, and the entertaining session with the Globe Theatre’s Education Practitioners helped them to understand more about Shakespearean tragedies, informing their work.
As the term progressed, pupils and staff enjoyed a trip to the performance of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. A Year 13 pupil’s review of the performance follows: Director Sarah Frankcom’s adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ legendary play, A Streetcar Named Desire was enjoyable, and certainly well-cast. The play revolves around Blanche Dubois, a woman with a dark and uncertain past, who moves in with her sister, Stella, and her husband, Stanley. As more is revealed about Blanche’s past life, a rift is created between her and her sister, and there is a rising tension between Blanche and Stanley as a result. Maxine Peake took on the role of Blanche, and was superb. She handled the character with the grace and nuance intended by Williams, and didn’t shy away from the darker sides to her character, nor did she hold back on the terror when Blanche finally descended into a degraded mental state. Opposing her, was Ben Batt’s Stanley: a fearsome, muscular performance that could arguably square up to Brando’s original from Elia Kazan’s 1951 Oscar-winning adaptation. He was suitably intimidating, but at some points felt like he was holding back the anger that he needed to take his Stanley to the next level. The bridge between the two was Sharon Duncan-Brewster’s Stella, who alternated between loving wife and fierce sister, constantly playing diplomat between the two sides, yet never committing to one, at least not until the play’s closing scene. The staging was also well done, using the round of the Exchange to its advantage. We were presented with a green carpet, barely furnished bar a table, two beds and a bathtub behind a transparent screen. Use of furniture was minimal, actors opting to use the carpet where possible, for a poker game for example, which conveys the “common” nature that is such a source of tension between Blanche and Stanley. The bare set also conveyed the lack of privacy.
The play’s most controversial scene was handled with delicacy, it wasn’t explicit, and as such may have been unclear to the uninitiated. Without a doubt, the play’s strong point was its cast; all were excellent and on full form. Matt Taylor 13g
Year 7 and 8 pupils were also treated to theatre trips in the Autumn Term. Year 8 boys watched a stage adaptation of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and in the run up to Christmas. Year 7 boys viewed an interesting musical adaptation of Cinderella told from the rats' point of view. Both year groups enjoyed these trips to our local theatre, the Octagon, and their Arts Award projects were informed and enriched by the experience. Year 7 were just embarking on adaptations of their own fairy tale selections for the stage at this point and exploring matters of empathy and democracy. Year 8 boys engaged with the trial from Mockingbird as a piece of forum theatre over the weeks following their theatre visit.
As follow up, in the Spring Term, using ‘Cinderella’ as the basis for their discussion, practitioners from the Octagon Theatre talked to Year 7 boys about the process of directing a play and what stages go into the design, from choosing the story to making everything needed for the production.
They also spoke about the importance of choosing the perspective. The Octagon’s ‘Cinderella’ was told from the point of view of the rats, which made the story significantly different and original. They asked the boys to think about other points of view they might tell the story from, such as the prince, the Ugly Sisters or the Stepmother, and how this might completely change the narrative.
As the director of ‘Cinderella’, Ben Occhipinti could give the boys lots of little behind-the-scenes details about what went into the Octagon’s production. His stories included setting live rats loose in his kitchen to see what they would be interested in, and running a workshop about what musical instruments rats would play in a primary school and finally agreeing on drums.
GCSE and Sixth Form pupils travelled to numerous shows for enrichment and to underpin the dramatic texts they were studying as part of their examination courses. We saw some fantastic shows over the 2016/17 season. Further to A Streetcar Named Desire, we enjoyed Breaking the Code at Manchester's Royal Exchange and travelled to see Shakespeare's The Tempest at the RSC Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. The boys benefitted from discussion and debate with colleagues from a range of departments at these events. Reviews follow: Breaking the Code at the Royal Exchange Theatre In 1986, playwright Hugh Whitmore took it upon himself to tell the story of Alan Turing, a man whose life was just as much of an enigma as the machine he was destined to crack. Extremely little was known about the man whose efforts had been so vital in securing an allied victory during the Second World War and who tragically committed suicide in the aftermath of revelations about his homosexuality. Since then, much has changed; after having been pardoned posthumously by the Queen, Turing has become the subject of an Oscar-winning film in addition to two operas. In 2016, director Robert Hastie has capitalised on this popular interest in Turing’s life and has produced an iconic and compelling piece of theatre. Much of the play’s success can be attributed to the outstanding performance of Daniel Rigby. His portrayal of Turing perfectly captured the essence of his character and his inner conflict. Turing’s stutter was employed masterfully. The stutter vanished at moments when Turing discussed maths, allowing room for an audience to grasp the true genius trapped inside of Turing. Yet at personal moments, and those of heightened tension, the stutter was present just enough to act as a chilling reminder of the fragility of human nature. Rigby’s portrayal was beautifully orchestrated to demonstrate the conflicts that eventually consumed Turing: his repressed homosexuality, his strained relationship
with his family and his fatal honesty. Turing’s shocking admission that he was sleeping with the man, who he had originally claimed had robbed him, ultimately led to his persecution and eventual suicide and demonstrated his inability to deceive, even to protect himself. Ultimately, Hastie reminds an audience that Turing is a tragic character, and the very real issues that Turing faces in the play are certainly relatable in the modern age, making this production a timeless, but tragic classic. Another highlight of the performance came from Ben Stones’ mesmerising stage design. A collection of suspended rods constantly altered above the stage in order to form boxes and cells. This beautiful display is effective in conveying the abstract nature of mathematics, as Turing must cross outside of the box to solve most of his problems.
Admittedly, it is difficult to uncover any weaknesses in the performance. However, the play left much work to the audience. The minimalistic nature of the setting, in addition to the hefty volume of intense dialogue, does require an audience to fully engage with the play and make inferences based upon design prompts to grasp the meaning of the play. Whilst Turing does come across as an extremely sympathetic character, perhaps more could have been done to portray his struggle, making it easier for an audience to empathise with him. Overall, the play was superb. The cast truly brought the characters to life and allowed room for the director to explore many issues, including repression and injustice that are still just as relevant today. Many thanks to the wide variety of staff, drawn from departments including Maths and Technology, as well as English, for supporting this endeavour. Sam Warburton
RSC's The Tempest
Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' has captivated audiences for over 400 years. Reinterpretations of the play have used modern techniques to enhance the spectacle of the show and this case was no different: Bolton School students were treated to the experience of George Doran's innovative artistic direction alongside Intel image mapping at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in December. The play revolves around the revenge plot of Prospero, as through his magical power, by which the tumultuous tempest is created, he scatters the characters of the play on the mysterious island. Then, by use of his spirit servant Ariel, he reveals the treacherous attitudes of the men in King Alonso's court and generates a love between the king's son Ferdinand and his own daughter Miranda. In the end, Prospero forgives the men of the Royal Court who caused his exile, including his traitorous brother Antonio, and consents to the marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand. He even gives up his power and releases his servant Ariel and his other grotesque slave Caliban.
There were powerful performances by the cast including: Simon Russell Beale as Prospero, Joseph Mydell as Gonzalo and Jenny Rainsford as Miranda. Moreover, there was the hilarious portrayal of the comic Trinculo and Stephano by Simon Trinder and Tony Jayawardena who, with Joe Dixon's Caliban, made the audience laugh hysterically in their drunken attempt to assassinate Prospero. The most striking and unique aspect of this version of ‘The Tempest’ was its inventive use of technology in the play, which was able to manifest itself in the thunderous and vociferous nature of the Tempest, through the blinding lights and deafening sounds. However, the most emphatic addition was the construction of virtual magic and characters. Throughout the text, Ariel, a powerful spirit, is able to float and fly above the characters, make himself invisible, change his body to flames and even turn into a nightmarish harpy. For hundreds of years, this prospect of embodying his limitless power has been tried, yet it has been impossible to truly show the effect of his magic, until now. The RSC, in this interpretation, worked with Intel, using augmented reality, to create a digital character of Ariel on stage. This was not recorded, but was a live performance, as Mark Quartley wore a costume with many sensors that picked up all his movements, which were then rendered into the computer-generated character in real-time. Then it was through to video servers for projection resulting in the digital avatar coming to life. Subsequently at certain points in the play, the audience were able to see this character fly around the stage, set his skin on fire and morph into a fiendish winged monster. All of which amazed the audience and overall highlighted the power and beauty of the play itself. Sammy Gatenby-Brown
In February, pupils in Years 8 and 9, from both divisions, impressed audiences with their studentdevised promenade production of Wonder, adapted from R. J. Palacio’s international bestseller of the same name.
Wonder takes hold of the audience’s heartstrings with the tale of little August Pullman, following the course of his first year at secondary school. Along the way, the story explores the complexities of school life and growing up while also emphasising how easy it is to hurt people, exploring social diversity and demonstrating how everyone has the potential to “choose kind”.
The promenade production used different venues around the Boys’ Division to create a variety of settings. The Great Hall was used for assembly scenes and became the Pullman household. The rear of the Hall stood in as a classroom for 100 people, with the cast playing children sitting amongst the audience to create an authentic classroom feel. There was a move to the dining hall for scenes set at lunch, and even the corridors were put to use as the cast travelled the route to their summer camp: the Studio Theatre, which was transformed into the outdoors with tents, a campfire, and disco ball ‘starlight’.
Each night, Wonder offered an array of highlights. Students acting as teachers managed their ‘classes’ convincingly, and there was lots of comedic characterisation. At the summer camp, there were campfire sing-alongs accompanied by ukulele and hilarious tent skits that drew out the cast’s personalities as much as a sense of the novel’s characters. Student monologues offered introspective counterpoints to the action. Particularly memorable were the final lines of the performance, about learning to find the wonder in everyone and that it should be a rule that everyone gets a standing ovation at least once in their life.
Talented students Jude Ashcroft, Zayd Ascroft, Thomas Britton, Nathan Burudi, Emilie Fielding, Dominic Flood, Caitlyn Foster, Charlie Griffiths, Kate Hailwood, Sophie Hann, Rosalyn Harper, Anthony Johnson, Dhruti Patel, Lily Rimmer, Sammy Ramadan, Alice Ryder, Matthew Settle, Piers Skeels-Caldwell and Thomas Yates led a thirty-plus strong cast.
Lighting and sound for Wonder was operated by Year 10 and Year 8 students, trained and supported by Boys’ Division technician Mr Deakin. The Boys’ and Girls’ Division Parents’ Associations also laid on a spread of cakes and drinks for the audience to enjoy.
In the run-up to Wonder, Boys’ Division pupils in Years 7 to 9 carried out monthly form time activities related to the precepts set out by Mr Browne, the English teacher in Wonder. These included key phrases such as “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind” (Dr Wayne Dyer), “No man is an island, entire of itself” (John Donne), and “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can” (John Wesley’s Rule).
In early March, students, alumni and staff of Bolton School were joined by the public for a stunning evening performance of a new play, When the Eye Has Gone, produced by the School’s resident company Roughhouse Theatre and LiveWire Theatre.
The play, by turns funny and sad, was commissioned by The Professional Cricketers’ Association and follows the tragic decline of former England and Northamptonshire batsman Colin Milburn. The show toured all 18 County Cricket Clubs in November 2016 and the school performance was the first of 2017 as the play began its second national tour. The one man tour de force was written by James Graham-Brown, the former Kent and Derbyshire all-rounder turned playwright. It was superbly acted by Dan Gaisford and produced and directed by Shane Morgan. It is set in the North Briton pub in Newton Aycliffe in County Durham on February 28 1990, the last day of Milburn’s life during his cabaret performance as ‘Jolly Ollie’, the character he had developed to conceal his insecurities and suffering.
Later in March, our Joint Senior Production of ‘Miss Saigon’ was a sell-out success. Set with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the audience was instantly transported from the Arts Centre to the gritty and sleazy atmosphere of the Dreamland Club during the opening number ‘The Heat is On in Saigon’. The tragic story, based on Puccini’s opera ‘Madame Butterfly’, centres around the whirlwind romance between Chris, a disillusioned American soldier and Kim, a desperate and naïve orphan, forced to work at the Club.
Matthew Kay assumed the lead role of Chris, while Caroline Blair and Molly McLaughlin gave alternate performances, sharing the lead role of Kim. The standard of their performance was exceptional and highly convincing: the roles were maturely and sensitively portrayed. Adam Whitmore ably supported with strong vocals in his role as John, Chris’ fellow comrade, while George Morgan exuded charm, adding some comic relief in his role as ‘The Engineer’, the seedy and corrupt club owner who longs to live ‘The American Dream’. Jean-Paul Asumu countered with a menacing performance as Thuy, to whom Kim was formerly betrothed. Other stand-out performances came from Ellen Bate, in her role as Chris’ American wife, who balanced dignified restraint and impassioned despair, as well as Sian Rowlands, who played Gigi, the showgirl whose brash exterior dissolves to reveal her true vulnerability.
The often sequin-clad supporting Ensemble assumed a range of demanding roles and impressed with their slick choreography, gymnastic ability and vocal cohesion. Indeed, both the cast and house band and visiting musicians dealt admirably with Boublil and SchÜnberg’s highly complex musical score with its dialogue reminiscent of operatic recitative.
GCSE students have produced an array of impressive work this year: Year 11 students presented a devised piece on the theme of limitation. This translated into a piece that considered experiences in bomb shelters on the Home Front in WW1. Year 10 boys have produced physical theatre work inspired by the style of Frantic Assembly, presenting their own adaptation of George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and a highly creative part historical, part invented, backstory to the creation of Edvard Munch’s painting ‘The Scream’, exploring the catalyst to producing a masterpiece.
In May, Year 8 form groups presented socially motivated pieces of theatre to their peer group in a series of year group assemblies. Focusses included human rights issues and contemporary political concerns. This work dovetailed with a year-long focus, tying elements of our pastoral curriculum to drama exercises.
Throughout this academic year, RoughHouse Theatre has been the Boys’ Division’s theatre company in residence. RoughHouse, comprising Moira Hunt and Shane Morgan, have collaborated with boys in Years 7 to 9, devising drama from topics drawn from the wider pastoral curriculum. RoughHouse Theatre were commissioned to produce a new, original piece of theatre based on the boys’ work in these sessions, which was performed by pupils in the end of year Drama Festival.
RoughHouse Theatre have facilitated whole afternoon SPACE sessions on race, democracy, justice and law using verbatim theatre techniques and have explored skills designed to create a physical language to investigate these complex topics and to develop pupils’ ability to establish informed, thoughtful viewpoints. Boys have worked in various collaborative dynamics from small group work through to stylistic experimentation and development as a year group, appraising examples of boys’ work.
Cultural learning of this sort provides our pupils with the opportunity to explore what it means to be a member of their immediate community and to actively engage with important trends in social politics. Partnerships with professionals from the creative industries bring new and varied approaches to applied learning, as well as a sense of contemporary arts production and career pathways. RoughHouse have brought boundless enthusiasm to this project and boys have collectively benefitted from their methods and their energy.
Boys’ work in SPACE afternoons and at home provided a wealth of material which was shared with the theatre company to allow them to create an original piece of drama. Boys carried out interviews with family members and peers, recording verbatim transcripts of the conversations. Verbatim theatre retains all features of spoken language, including fillers and false starts. Use of this increasingly popular storytelling technique will mean that the voices of our immediate and broader School community are audible in the piece.
Following auditions open to pupils in Years 7 to 10, boys had the opportunity to rehearse and present the play in partnership with professional theatre makers. The play was performed during the Boys’ Division Drama Festival on 6 July alongside Arts Award final performances and Lower School Drama Club sketches.
RoughHouse Co-Director Shane Morgan said, “RoughHouse Theatre are proud to have established links with such a progressive and dynamic school and department. Having now taken two shows to the school
and worked with a broad range of the students, we feel completely at home at Bolton and look forward to further collaborations in the future.”
RoughHouse Theatre was established in Sydney in 2000 and has a rich inventory of adapted nontheatrical pieces of work for the stage, reinventing classics and building new work from scratch. Previous collaborations have included adaptations of work by writers Nick Hornby and Daniel Wallace. They have worked in association with institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum, Theatre Royal Bath and most recently the Professional Cricketer’s Association with their critically acclaimed When The Eye Has Gone.
The year concluded with our Summer Drama Festival. As well as presentations from our Young Company led by RoughHouse Theatre and GSCE work, Year 8 and 9 Drama Club, with their Sixth Form leaders, presented ‘The Complete Deaths of Shakespeare’, a fast-paced romp through a wide range of the Bard’s catalogue and Year 7 form groups, led by the English Department, presented adaptations of famous tales including Snow White, The Tin Soldier, Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs and Peter Pan.