English

LOWER SIXTH THEATRE TRIP EXTRAVAGANZA: 4 PLAYS IN 3 DAYS!

Lower Sixth English Literature pupils upped the ante this year, deciding that last year’s ‘3 plays in 2 days’ was too tame and that ‘4 plays in 3 days’ was way more extreme! We therefore set off once again to ‘The Big Smoke’ for a jammed packed 3 days of theatrical treats. Deciding to add even more drama to the occasion, this year we forced the lovely Lower Sixth to sit their final summer exam (English) one hour before we departed. Therefore, we met a group of slightly shocked and battle worn Lower Sixth Form pupils before swiftly marching them to the station to catch the late afternoon train to London. With no time to spare, we arrived and headed for our first play of the trip: the famously scary Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre – based on Susan Hill’s novel. The frights and jumps still as spectacular for the first-time audience member as to those on their 10 visit (Mrs Mallard claims to have now taken 10 trips to see this play!)

After a well-earned sleep at St Paul’s YHA, despite the bells of St Paul’s ringing continuously all night (‘the bells, the bells…!’), the pupils ventured to Covent Garden for a little retail therapy and for staff, the essential cup of coffee.

After lunch we headed to see Ibsen’s lesser-known play, Rosmersholm at the Duke of York Theatre. This visual masterpiece was a real treat and was so stunning that many were heard to audibly gasp as the stage was flooded in the most spectacular - and beautiful - manner during the play’s denouement.

So we were now two plays down and in need of sustenance to make it to the next two. Heading to the Lyric, Hammersmith, we were treated to dinner at their rooftop restaurant before encountering Knee High’s Dead Dog in a Suitcase (a version of Gay’s A Beggar’s Opera.) For many, this was the highlight of the trip and some were even heard exclaiming “It’s the best play I’ve ever seen!” For who couldn’t love a play that can seamlessly merge electro disco alongside grime and punk music. And then offer a visual spectacle of shootings, hangings, puppetry, sex and debauchery - and not forgetting, mistaken identities (of the suitcase, that is).

After all that excitement, all slept well and were ready to tackle our final day: a walk along South Bank, a visit to the Tate Modern and our final (and fourth) play, Henry V at the Globe Theatre.

This was an exhausting and thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Pupils were characteristically enthusiastic, well-behaved and great fun. Here’s to another one next year: five plays next time…?

TRIPS

The English Department also managed to squeeze in a visit to Whitby for a Dracula Walk with Dr Crank; the York City Screen to see an adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Gothic novel, The Little Stranger; a Sixth Form visit to London to see Danny Dyer & Martin Freeman in Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter; Dracula in Darlington; the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth; an EMC conference in London to hear a plethora of speakers; the Rose Theatre to see Hamlet and The Tempest; York Theatre Royal to see The Turn of the Screw; Hull

Theatre with the Fourth Form to see Macbeth and York Theatre Royal (again) to see the stunning Wise Children. Phew!

MAN BOOKER PRIZE DEBATE

The Man Booker Prize was hotly contested this year with an interesting shortlist of prose from a tome about trees to a lyrical elegy of post war politics and greed. We travelled from Ireland to Barbados and from America to East Anglia. Sixth Form pupils, never daunted by such travels, tackled one of the six texts and then presented to an audience in the Alcuin Library, to justify why their book should be voted as the St Peter’s Man Booker Winner 2018.

We were once again treated to a wonderful evening that not only showcased the talent of these writers but also that of St Peter’s pupils: all spoke with such confidence, insight and clarity. Our overall winner of the evening was The Overstory - Richard Powers’ masterful tale that is far, far more than an environmentalist plea. This is a beautiful tale of families, modernity and the real joys and struggles that life brings. The winning duo, Jack Mayfield & Ewan Henworth presented this case with great wit and persuasion (there is a reason Ewan is Captain of Debating.)

My thanks to all the staff and pupils involved in the evening and I once again look forward to next year.

(The actual winner, announced the following evening, was Anna Burn’s Milkman).

CARNEGIE MEDAL DEBATE

In June, the Fourth Form met once again to debate the Carnegie Medal Shortlist: seven Young Adult fiction texts contending for a major, prestigious literary prize for young adult novels. The seven contenders were wonderfully, competently and persuasively debated by 19 pupils. The eventual winners, Holly Turnball & Melissa Bell made a wellprepared case for Saunders’ The Land of Neverendings and were rewarded with a complete collection of the shortlist.

HOLLY BOURNE

This year we welcomed highly popular, Young Adult fiction awardwinning author, Holly Bourne in to talk to the Third Form and J5. We were treated to a hugely enjoyable afternoon where our Third Form were able to hear Holly talk about her new book, Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes? This was a fascinating, and important, talk about the key message in her text (and many others): mental health and the importance of talking about it to lose the stigma.

NUALA ELLWOOD

In the summer term, the Lower Sixth pupils were treated to a visit from local author, Nuala Elwood. Nuala spoke to the Lower Sixth about her history and writing process before leading them in a fascinating creative writing workshop. We hope to build upon this relationship next year and to work with Nuala, and other authors, in creating more writing workshops and to assist our budding young writers as much as we can (see the creative writing pages for some of their work in action.)

Mrs Ella Mallard Head of English