BAROMETER THE
WETHERBY SENIOR SCHOOL WEEKLY JANUARY 7th 2018 | WEEK 1 WSS PRESENTS... FRANKENSTEIN
FROM THE HEADMASTER
Dear Parents, Happy New Year and welcome to the first Barometer of 2019. Christmas for me involved a lot of travelling as we visited family in Norfolk, Somerset and Yorkshire and I hope that you all enjoyed the Christmas and New Year break with your families. The boys have returned in good spirits – even Year 11 who are at the halfway point of the mock examinations – and I have enjoyed hearing stories of what they got up to during the three weeks.
done with boys of different year groups. They begin next Monday with a talk by Dick Moore on Coping with your adolescent. Dick is a practical and popular speaker on the school circuit who combines his experience of working with young people as a teacher and then headmaster with a passion for helping schools and parents to support adolescent mental health. I know that many of you have already signed up to attend but I have heard him speak in the past and would highly recommend attending.
As I am sure you know, the longest term ended on a high and more detail on some of those events is included here. I hope you have all seen a copy of this term’s calendar that was distributed at the beginning of the week. Within that, I particularly want to draw your attention to the parental talks that are happening this term to give you an understanding of the work that is being
I hope that you all saw my email on Monday regarding the lot from the auction last term that has been relisted. More details are contained within these pages and bids can be sent until Monday 14th January at 5.00pm. The PTA continue to raise funds in other ways and there is another Second Hand Uniform sale taking place at the end of next week (18th Jan) in the Bulstrode Street building.
Finally, on behalf of all the staff, thank you to the PTA for organising the gifts for staff at the end of last term and to all of you who donated to them. That every member of staff, both academic and support, received a gift from the parents gave everyone a boost at the end of term. It is not something I have seen in any other Senior School and is a sign of the strength of the wider school community. Enjoy the weekend,
WEEK A MONDAY
WEEKLY DIARY 14.01.18
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND LUNCHTIME CLUBS START THIS WEEK Year 11 Mock Exams until Friday 18th January PTA Committee. Year Group Co-ordinators and Trib Reps Meeting 09:00-10:30, Marylebone Building Talk for Sixth Form boys - Dancing in the Rain, Dick Moore - Hannah House 15:00 Talk for all parents - Coping with your Adolescent - Hannah House 18:30
TUESDAY
15.01.18
WEDNESDAY
16.01.18
THURSDAY
17.01.18
FRIDAY
18.01.18
SATURDAY
19.01.17
SUNDAY
20.01.17
2nd Hand Uniform Sale, Bulstrode Street 08:00-09:00 Friday Lunchtime Clubs and Societies 13:40-14:25 HM Whole School Assembly, Hind Street Methodist Church 15:15-15:45
PTA Auction: a week in a villa in Mauritius One of the lots from the PTA Inaugural Fundraiser has become available again and so we are running a silent auction to increase the donations that can be divided between the three chosen charities: the West London Mission, the Walkabout Foundation and the School’s bursary and scholarship fund. On offer is a week-long stay at the Four Seasons Anahita Hotel, a secluded oasis at the edge of an idyllic lagoon. The luxury two bedroom villa includes a terrace perfect for alfresco dining, a private pool, as well as unlimited access to the resort’s 18 hole, ocean front golf course. You are also welcome to unwind at their award winning spa or raise a glass at one of the exciting dining venues. Terms: Package includes 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 children (extra crib if needed). The villa offers a generous selection of dates but must be approved in advance of any bookings. All sundries/sports not included. Prize is worth a total of £14,000. More details and photos can be seen at: https://www.fourseasons.com/mauritius/accommodations/residence_villas/two_ bedroom_partial_ocean_view/ We would like to start the bidding at £5000. Please can you send your silent bids to Karen Gillingwater (kgillingwater@me.com) who can also give you more information about availability. The auction will close at 5.00pm on Monday January 14th 2019.
SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE Friday 18th January 8-9am Bulstrode Street, off reception.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Main: Beef Burritos
Main: Roasted whole chicken
Meat Free: Tortilla Bean Gateaux
Meat Free: Vegetable pasta bake
Main: Macaroni and cheese with bacon
To Go With: Succotash, parmesan parsnips, Cajun salt baked potatoes
To Go With: Wilted cabbage, cheesy leeks, roasted mid potatoes
Dessert: Strawberry Mousse
Dessert: Flapjack
FRIDAY
Main: Hoi sin chicken stir fry with water chestnuts
Main: Fish finger bap with cucumber, iceberg and tartar sauce
To Go With: Egg fried rice, rice noodles, broccoli in oyster sauce, Szechuan green beans Dessert: Chocolate beetroot cake
To Go With: Broccoli and butterbean crush, grilled courgettes, sables potatoes Dessert: Blackcurrant jelly and cream
THURSDAY
Meat Free: Sweet chili tofu stir fry
Meat Free: Licolnshire Poachers potato croquettes
Meat Free: Grilled catch of the day with parsley and lemon butter
EVERY DAY
Homemade Bread Freshly made yogurt pots Fresh Fruit
To Go With: Oven baked chips, green peas, mushy peas Dessert: Winter berry Eton Mess
MENU
FRANKENSTEIN Henry B, Year 10 writes... Every year, the very much anticipated School play takes to the stage. After the success of last year’s “Punch”, it seemed that the production of “Frankenstein” was left with some very big shoes to fill. Unsurprisingly, both evenings were entirely sold out! I had the honour and privilege of sitting in on one of Miss Twomey’s meticulous rehearsals prior to seeing the show and I was left speechless by the effort and dedication that both she and the actors put in to perfecting every single detail, from different types of laughter to the manner in which a character moved while speaking their line (or in response to another line; I’m sure that most are familiar with Miss Twomey’s golden rule of “Positioning, Acting, Reacting”). There was continuous cooperation between the performers and the director with the constant sharing of ideas, all under the experienced guidance of Miss Twomey. The collaboration with Francis Holland School was a first for the School. It worked perfectly and it was lovely to have some female cast members; it made the production
more akin to an actual West End show. Similarly, the complexity of the stage setup which was not only adorned with intertwined weeds for a sense of added suspense and horror, but was lit by a professional lighting rig and even had a rain machine, further added to the experience of a real theatre. Whilst some moments sent a sudden chill up my spine, I equally enjoyed some of the more lighthearted parts of the play, such as the dynamic duo of Max Hashem and Max Pozzi (Ewan and Rab), whose superb Scottish accents and casual absent-mindedness were very humorous. I was also moved by Tobi Adesanoye’s wonderful performance as the creature. The everchanging emotional state of the creature as he experiences love and hatred was portrayed in an evocative manner and I was taken aback
by Tobi’s voice and movement, both of which were, indeed, reminiscent of such a creature. His outstanding acting skills were, of course, complimented by his fabulous costume and make-up, not to mention the brave decision to shave his head (another testament to his unremitting devotion)! The same must be said about Sean Masri, who played the part of Victor Frankenstein exceptionally well and vividly portrayed his character’s selfcontradicting thoughts throughout. I could discuss each individual actors’ performance in further detail but I feel that the most important factor of this phenomenal production was the magnificent teamwork that went into it. It was thoroughly entertaining and everyone involved had a part to play.
Mr Warner writes... The lights are dim, the auditorium full and the stage is set for Wetherby Senior School’s production of Frankenstein. On stage, behind what must be Lakeland’s largest roll of Clingfilm, something is pawing away in an exploratory manner. The audience’s interest is naturally piqued, but before we are allowed to find out what manner of creature is spawning, the reassuring cabin crew tones of Miss Twomey cut through the darkness reminding us to switch off our phones, interrupted only by the phone of one hapless audience member. Device muted, health and safety boxes ticked, now we could enjoy the show. I always love the week building up to a WSS Drama event. The set begins to take shape (this one seemed to have plumbing…), Miss Twomey was asking about how to carve up a suspiciously large piece of polystyrene and what ON EARTH has Tobi done with his hair? The latter mystery was soon solved as the creature of the black lagoon finally felt ready to join us and, with much moaning Tobi A. (the monster) birthed and flopped out onto the stage. It transpired that his
new baldness was required for some pretty impressive make up to transform his features into those of a poorly sewn human quilt: his crown was rent by a terrific scar and a gaping wound ran across his chest. This was a gripping opening, Tobi’s total commitment to physical nature of his role was wonderful as he evolved from fish to amphibian to mammal before our eyes. Just as he had more or less mastered walking Sean (Victor Frankenstein) burst onto the scene, causing Tobi to flee. The play hinges on the somewhat dysfunctional relationship between Frankenstein and his creature and our two leads did not disappoint, both producing utterly engaging performances. With Tobi, it was the sheer delight of watching him go through the human emotional experience from baby to adult at breakneck speed. He gambled playfully with birds and danced in (real!) rain, experimentally gnawed on a book, was hunted by a savage mob who beat him with pitchforks, learned to read, lost his ignorance and began to search for love whilst realising the world hated him for his looks and his own creator sought to destroy him. It was an
emotional tour de force as Tobi giggled, danced, groaned and screamed his way through life’s lessons. As Victor Frankenstein, Sean was the eponymous bumbling scientist, absorbed in his work with a hermit like intensity, he is forced back into the real world and made to confront the consequences of his creation. We see Sean mirror Tobi’s ascent with his own painful descent from the hubristic academic who has matched God in creating life, to grappling with guilt over brother’s death and stooping to grave robbing to create the promised partner for the creature, before breaking his word and destroying it. In all his relations with the monster Sean maintained a phenomenal level of emotional intensity, which was neatly contrasted with the delightful awkwardness when he decides to take a wife. The whole adventure was brought to life by some superb supporting roles from Maia (Elizabeth), Bennett (Monsieur Frankenstein), Jacques (William Frankenstein) and Monty (DeLacey). In Maia we had a great commonsensical rapier who consistently pricked at Sean’s puffed up arrogance. When he finally reveals his secret to her, she cut
to the heart of the matter by asking why he can’t just have kids if he wants to create life. Her calm, confident bearing was a sound counterbalance to Sean’s fluster and bustle. Bennett was a commanding patriarch who really looked as if he’d have liked more mahogany on set to thump at dramatic moments, but he made do with plywood and brought a degree of authority to the role, managing to talk down to his son in a convincing manner. Jacques’s portrayal of young William was spirited and playful, making his quick demise at the hands of the creature all the more tragic. With his portrayal of DeLacey, Monty gave Tobi the only moment in the whole play in which he was treated with kindness, and Monty’s gentle wisdom and care as he educated the creature helped the audience to truly understand that there was more to Tobi than horrendous scar tissue. It fell to much of the rest of the cast to provide the creature with his real world
experiences. Serif, Adam, Charlie, William, Sam, Savva, Bijan and Misha (the townspeople) provided a good old fashioned mob to deliver Tobi’s first proper beating, ably supported by Sophie (Gretel). The two Harrys (Gustav and Klaus) earned a laugh for their rural accents and had the privilege of thumping Tobi with baseball bats in a cheerfully brisk and practiced manner. Alex (Augustin), Pip (Felix), Helene (Edna) and Elia (Molly) made a charming quartet whose purpose was to show Tobi just how harsh the world is, yelling a venomous ‘kill it’ in his direction which made us all a little less sad when Tobi burned them alive (accompanied by superb effects). Helping our heroes along their way were Nicky (Clarence) who was a somewhat eccentric, but convincing, henchman to Bennett as Head Servant of the Frankenstein household, Robert and Nico (Servants)
ably assisting Bennet tin being patriarchal and masterly, and Beau (Constable) trying to keep a lid on things when they got a bit wild. The denouement came about somewhere off Scotland. Here we encountered the two Maxes (Rab and Ewan) who gave us a grand tour of Celtic linguistics whilst taking Sean’s gold for robbing fresh graves and adding some welcome hilarity to the show before the excitement of finding out what all that polystyrene was really for… In the tense final scene Tobi emerged from inside Sean’s bed to confront, trick and kill Maia, gaining his revenge for Frankenstein killing his own wife and bitterly commenting that now he had learnt to lie. A brilliant finish. Bravo to the whole cast, Miss Twomey and all of her team - this was a fantastic performance.
Sean M, Year 12 writes... When I received the news that I would play the role of Victor Frankenstein in the School play, I was immediately both overwhelmed and excited to tackle the famous role. My life was made easier by having excellent co-actors, who made the experience all the more enjoyable. I worked with boys from different year groups, which made the process more exciting as well as more challenging. It was also another great play as I was able to perform with my fellow classmates from last year when we studied GCSE drama together. Frankenstein took three months to produce, we rehearsed in lunch times, after school and during any possible free time we had. Although it was difficult and we put a lot of time and effort into it every week, it all came together perfectly and despite the rehearsals being exhausting, they were still the highlight of my day and never felt like a burden. One week before the show the entire cast came to School on Saturday for a full day’s rehearsal, which showed how everyone was willing to put their all into this play. It might have been a while but it definitely all paid off as on the evening of the performance we had a huge turnout and the night was a success. The help from the costume designer was excellent and I believe that all the costumes were
a masterpiece and worked together well to show the status and personality of the characters. The stage was beautiful and added to the mystery of the story. Numerous effects such as rain and lighting added to the intensity of many of the scenes, especially when the Creature was present.
The play might have taken a while and it might have been fatiguing, but it really was one of the best times I have had performing a play. Now that it is all over, I see how much I am going to miss drama with Miss Twomey and all the other boys. I would like to thank all the staff who helped out, as they truly created a marvellous play.
RENZO PIANO - THE ART OF MAKING BUILDINGS Tommaso S. Year 10 writes... First off, what do these four constructions have in common? Well…I’ll tell you! The Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC (USA)
The Music Park Auditorium, Rome
The Kansai Airport, Osaka (Japan
The Shard, London (UK)
They have many things in common (their special materials, their astonishing shapes, their locations in well-known places around the world etc) but the key similarity is the mind which is behind each of them: they are constructions designed by one of the greatest architects of our time, Renzo Piano. For those whom the name doesn’t spring to mind, Renzo Piano is an Italian architect (born in Genoa, Italy, 14th September 1937) who is famous for sketching the complex blueprints for many buildings across the globe. From the beginning of the exhibition you are literally thrown back to the moment of the creation! You can browse amongst several desks resembling an actual architect’sstudio, where you can see the original sketches of each building which Piano had in mind to design. What surprised me the most was that I was able to see even some initial plans jotted on the first spare sheets of paper available, not just the original blueprints. What also impressed me was how the shape of each building has its own design to fit its purpose, at the same time, combining/contrasting with
the surrounding environment. You are also introduced to the research of the materials needed for each construction. You soon understand that the final building is the combination of different professional efforts (just focus on Kansai Airport, built on an artificial island, especially constructed in the bay of Osaka for the airport). The exhibition is well organised and affordable for all kinds of audience, attracting many different visitors, from university students who stay for hours in search of inspiration to the general public impressed by the physical evidence of the amount of effort behind the world-renowned buildings in the world. A must-see for whoever is interested in Art & Design and Architecture!
KICKABOUT: OUR PROJECT IN INDIA Druan S, Year 9 and Niam S, Year 7 write... In previous visits to our ancestral village of Uttarsanda in India, we had noticed that the children there lacked sporting opportunities and did not have the same privileges as we have here, in England. So, this year for Christmas we went over to Uttarsanda...with football! We wanted to give the local Indian children an opportunity to experience football, our favourite sport, with kits, coaching and equipment that we are lucky enough to have in London. So, our mum set up project Kickabout. We had donations of kits, boots and medals from friends and the football club we play for (Kew Park Rangers) and we registered two football coaches from a football academy in Baroda (a nearby town) to help. Also, Coca-Cola kindly sponsored refreshments for
Kickabout and we created a pitch from scratch at the local communal grounds. Kickabout was designed to be a football fun day, with team building games, coaching and mini matches for the local children. It was a great success as everyone had lots of fun and Kickabout even made it onto the local news! At the end of the event, we presented the children with medals and they all had huge smiles on their faces! It was incredible to see the passion the children instantly showed for football and how Kickabout inspired teachers, parents and many underprivileged children in the village to continue with football. Overall, we felt overwhelmed, happy and humbled to be able to share our love of football with children who don’t normally have much and we look forward to the next project.
http://www.wetherbysenior.co.uk