Theatre Trips

Visiting the theatre has become an increasingly important part of the school life, both within the curriculum and as an extra curricular activity. Our theatre visits have increased in number this year with the commencement of 'A' Level Drama. The year began with a visit to see the Oxford Stage Company's production of Shakespeare's "Hamlet". This was an interesting experience which included a pre-theatre visit to meet the director who talked to the pupils about the ideas behind the production. The play was an excellent interpretation and was followed by a workshop here at Hartismere with two of the actors - a treat indeed.

'A' Level students also went to Ipswich Wolsey Theatre to see Shared Experience's production of "The Tempest". This theatre group are renowned for their style of playing based on involvement and dance. This production used a lot of music, soft lighting and enormous white sails which were multi-purpose, giving the effect of a magical land.

The Reduced Shakespeare company came to Norwich and reduced us to tears of laughter with their irreverent look at Shakespeare's plays.

The English department took their pupils to the RSC at the Barbican for "Macbeth" - a memorable production.

The GCSE Drama group's visit to the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds was rewarded by a riveting production of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" - a fast-moving, heart-beating version which used garden compost, pallets and naked light bulbs as a set to draw the audience into the atmosphere of the farmyard and to share in the lives of the animals.

Theatre-in-Education from The Wolsey provided a second theatrical experience for GCSE pupils. A performance of "Mirad, the boy from Bosnia" was shown to them and then the two groups prepared their own drama to show to the actors. This was both rewarding and educational. Other plays seen by the pupils include "My Mother said, I never should", "Cymbeline" and "Phantom of the Opera".

'A' Level English and Drama students went to Stratford to see the RSC's latest production of "Hamlet". This visit was aimed at developing their experience of how a text can be interpreted in new and exciting ways in production. The RSC presented a shortened and original version version of the play which used a darkened stage to create an appropriate menacing and claustrophobic atmosphere. The students enjoyed the production, particularly the dynamic central performance of Hamlet's character. We were lucky enough to see Theatre de Complicite's production of Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle" in the Olivier Theatre at the National and a visit to the New Globe, the reconstructed theatre on Bankside. Here "Henry V" was played out as near as possible to Shakespeare's day, with all the colour and pomp of that era.