Drama

Although we missed having families in the Singleton Hall as a live audience,we were very proud to be able to stage all of our shows last year.We filmed them so that the children could enjoy sharing them with their families at home. Online learning reminded us just how important it is to be able to be together and be creative.

A Midsummer Night 's Dream

in Year 8,we needed a final show for them with lots of great parts to allow them to shine-and this version of A Midsummer Night's Dream with songs did just that.

The play began at Theseus' court which on our stage was a fine throne room with ivy-clad pillars and royal attendants.We learn that Hermia (Emily Martin) refuses to marry her father's choice,Demetrius (Alex Collins), as she is in love with Lysander (Luca Crathorn).The whole cast sang the opening song A Dutiful Daughter which made it clear that the whole of Athenian society was against the lovers who decide to run away to the nearby woods.Hermia confides in her friend,Helena, (Jaimie Roberts) but this proves to be the beginning of a lot of trouble: she is in love with Demetrius herself and so tells him of the runaways in the hope of winning him over.Jaimie shone as Helena and had great comic timing as she was dragged across the stage by Alex's Demetrius who made his lack of feelings for her very clear.

In preparation for the great wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, a group of rough and ready workman rehearse a play under the frustrated gaze of Peter Quince,played well by Tom Soloman who ploughed on despite the numerous interruptions from the over-eager Bottom,played with great comedy by Danny Boyle.

For our staging of the woods,we used leafy umbrellas,symbolic of the shelter that the lovers hope to find away from Athenian society.However,the woods are already full of a lovers' quarrel between Oberon, the king of the fairies (Zach McCouaig) and his queen,Titania (Xanthe Ward).In a fit of revenge,Oberon sends his sprite, Puck,for a flower with magic abilities; Alexandra as Puck lit up the stage with her movement and energy.What follows is chaos and confusion: Xanthe made Titania's enchanted love for the lowly workman believable and touching,Bottom was transformed into a donkey,while we felt great sympathy for Emily's shunned Hermia.

Order is restored in the end and a triple wedding ensues with the mechanical's play as entertainment.It was great to hear how well Year 8 used Shakespeare's lines,none more so than Danny, who had a large number of lines which he delivered with melodrama to great comic effect as Bottom playing Pyramus.Jac Couchman added greatly to this comedy as the initially reluctant but finally over-enthusiastic Thisbe. Although it was postponed-twice-Year 8 showed hard work,determination and resilience in staging their final show at St John's. Year 4 pupils stepped back in time to Victorian England and a Christmas fair for the setting of our Christmas play.The town's nativity play was performed,while the sad tale of the Little Match Girl was told by Old Tom,the chestnut seller,to a group of poor children.Under a streetlight,amid the snow,she tried to sell her matches and keep warm but was ignored by people rushing by.The two stories joined together when the Little Match Girl became an angel at Jesus' side.

Year 4 did a fantastic job with a range of stirring songs and also some poignant ones about the Little Match Girl.Special mention goes to Maisie Baber Williams who played the Little Match Girl and sang a beautiful solo. The whole of Year 4 should be very proud of a great show and all they learned about filming too!

The Little Match Girl

Alice in Wonderland

Year 6 worked tremendously hard in the Michaelmas and Lent terms to stage a show they could be proud of and did well to pick up rehearsals after we had a long break during remote learning.Although we could not rehearse over the internet,we listened to Lewis Carroll's original story and looked at an alfresco staging of a version of the play. It was lovely to be able to welcome two new members of Year 6 in the Lent term and include them in our show too.

We were spoilt with not one but two Alices! The leading role was shared by Isabelle Thompson and Alexandra Strong,who both did a super job of portraying the headstrong and inquisitive Alice.The Mad Hatter's tea party was a real highlight with lots of comedy and some super acting.We also enjoyed using some sneaky camera angles to help us show Alice growing and shrinking.