Musical Theatre

It was an encouraging year! I joined the School as Musical Theatre Director in Residence in January 2022, when the world was tiptoeing gently into normalcy after what was unquestionably a troubling period for performing arts. Theatre is so inherently rooted in gathering and contact and so it was a joy to see ABBA: The Party achieve lift-off in February, complete with full cast dances and soaring pop harmonies. Mrs Richardson’s production was a dazzling carnival of fun and for me it was an excellent introduction to the theatre life of the School, with the pupils showing a fantastic collective spirit and professionalism. A highlight was Marina Pownall (UVI) in absence putting together a filmed performance of ‘Voulez Vous’ on the day of the show, expertly streamed through the multi-screen system by the AV team, proving that Covid would not stop the music.

There are a great many unsung heroes of musical theatre at the School whose work never gets any kind of public performance. I refer of course to our Trinity Musical Theatre classes, taken as a separate activity by enthusiastic pupils from Lower Fifth upwards. As well as working towards their grades, they have been exploring characters, building their portfolios, developing confidence, improving vocal skills and just having a fantastic time. Our team of peripatetic teachers are all superb and inspiring individuals with industry experience, and it is a delight just to wander between rooms behind the PAC and listen to a mega mix of showtunes throughout the day.

We had our Day of Musical Theatre in February, which saw an army of young performers from various prep schools descend on the department for an intense few hours of musical theatre-making. Given it was to be our Founder’s Weekend musical, The Lion King was the show we focused on, and each school gave a rousing performance of one of the main songs from the classic Disney film, complete with choreography and even some small character roles. Presented by our Seniors, we put together an impressive showcase of young talent – some of whom will no doubt be joining us in the years ahead!

I realise that from a performance perspective, all roads lead to Founder’s Weekend in the Summer term… and so it was with the Lower School production of The Lion King Under the direction of Mrs Watson, this well-loved show was quite literally a beast to put together, requiring immense aesthetic ambition and expansive thinking. Gathering nearly 80 pupils in the PAC to sing is a challenge in itself, made all the more difficult if you are asking them to simultaneously process down the aisle dressed as elephants and giraffes and hyenas! But the PAC was transformed, complete with painstakingly precise moments of symbiosis between cast and crew, for example during the Stampede, or with a CGI moving head of Mufasa’s ghost conversing with Simba mid song. The pupils gifted their voices to those soaring chants in the ‘Circle of Life’ and ‘He Lives in You’, dancers flitted seamlessly in and out of the action as buzzards or lionesses, our leads were magnificent and charismatic, and the ensemble all gave generously to the performance. I think it is safe to say we pulled it off.

We have a brilliant and committed team here in the Drama and Dance Faculty and I look forward to seeing what is in store for the future of musical theatre at Downe House. There are grand plans – big productions, more chances to showcase the talent within the School and more opportunities to connect with the musical theatre industry.

Mr Robert Castell, Musical Theatre Director in Residence

Dance at Downe House is an exciting and vibrant department within the Drama and Dance Faculty which allows the girls opportunities to take classes in a myriad of styles and techniques such as Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Tap and Modern. As well as a wealth of weekly recreational classes on offer, the girls can take examinations in RAD Ballet, ISTD Ballet and Rambert Contemporary Dance. For the girls who wish to focus on improving their Dance skills even further, the Downe House Dance Company and Academies train on a weekly basis and are open to pupils from all year groups. This year we have had girls take dance exams with fantastic results. The pupils have also had fantastic opportunities to perform live to excited audience members. As well as the extra-curricular dance lesson we have on offer, the pupils can choose Dance as part of their PE lessons. This gives them the opportunity to practise dance in a more relaxed and recreational setting opposed to the more formal process of the dance exam preparation process.

Miss Rachael Archer, Acting Head of Extra-Curricular Dance / Teacher

of Speech & Drama

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is a staple of the dance world during the festive season and this academic year, during the Michaelmas term, the dancers of Downe House worked tirelessly to produce their very own adaptation. Led by the Downe House Dance Company and supported by the Dance Academies, Contemporary dancers and Street dancers, The Nutcracker took the audience on a journey following Clara, a young orphan girl, who receives her first ever toy doll who comes to life and takes her on an adventure to the Land of Sweets. The dancing was spectacular, the costumes were vibrant, and the performance was a perfect way to end a busy Michaelmas term!

Miss Olivia Ward, Head of Extra-Curricular Dance