Leavers 2023

Hamlet

The Year 8 Shakespeare play has been an integral part of the Year 7 & 8 programme of study for over ten years. For much of that time, I have had the unstinting support and expertise of Cherry Menlove to draw upon. Drama trained, she has the ability to draw performances from children that they never knew they were capable of giving. She herself would admit that she is a hard taskmaster – demanding the very best that is possible and dreaming big – and every year I have seen the Year 8 students rise to the challenge that she has set them.

This year’s play was no exception. The choice of Hamlet was ambitious – to say the least. Year 8 read the play in the Spring term, had the Easter holidays to learn their lines and then we were off! Two or three hours of rehearsal a week throughout the first half of the Summer term culminated in an evening performance in June. The play was cut to run for an hour and 20 minutes and Year 8 delivered their very best performance on the night. We were so proud of each and everyone of them.

Sadly, this was Cherry’s swan song as both her children will be at senior school from September. I would like to thank her for all the time that she has devoted to the Year 8 play over the years. Cherry – we will miss you so much.

Laura Hutchings