From the Head of Secondary 04.05.19
Romeo and Juliet ….a smash hit!
The major event for Secondary this week was the long anticipated performances of Romeo and Juliet on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
In the words of Mr Bryant, “in a good production these archetypal characters will literally jump off the page”. This is exactly what we were treated to, whether it was a love-sick Romeo, played with energy and expression by Zen Lim, or a sweet and innocent Juliet, played by Jesse Murison, or a bossy but ultimately kind nurse, played by Ludivine Maze, there was no mistaking the strength of the characterization displayed during the show.
The set-pieces of physical theatre were stunning. The masked ball dance, the vital letter not delivered, the funeral of Juliet, the fight scenes……. all were delivered with verve, sophistication and energy and it was clear that many hours of rehearsals had gone before. The costumes were amazing, [thanks to Jesse’s mum!], traditional, with a hint of the Gothic. The figure of Death/Apthecary [Roshween Riar] was truly scary, enveloped in black as she was. A lot of acting is in the eyes, and Roshween had clearly been practising her demon death stare. It was all in those intense, almost evil side-long glances, demonstrated also by Courtney Thornton as The Princess. With a slow sedate walk, a toss of the head, and that stare, Courtney was able to convey all the hauteur that we should expect from the woman in charge.
All of the actors were perfect in their roles and the comedy and the tragedy of this, probably Shakespeare’s most famous play, came through clearly. The lighting, the sound, the music, the entrances and exits, the adaptations [Rosaline to Romeo: “Stop it! That’s really weird……you’re really weird!”], all the rehearsals after school and weekends, the team work and the creative imaginations all conspired powerfully in a production that will be long remembered.
This was a team effort but would not have happened without the leadership of three staff members in particular, Ms Raywena as Second Assistant, Ms Colley as Assistant Director and Mr Bryant as Director. This has been a labour of love over the last eight months and they should feel very proud and pleased with the final result.
We thank them, and all the cast and crew, for giving us William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’!
Examinations for Year 11, 12 and 13
IGCSE, AS and A Level exams started in earnest this week with Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Business, English Language. This is a tense and important time, not only for students but also for parents who support their children throughout the exam period. This is not always an easy task!
Teachers are offering study and revision sessions and we encourage all students to take advantage of these. Arrangements have been made but any student can contact their teacher via email to ask any questions and seek help with particular topics.
We wish all of our students the best of luck in their exams!
Margaret Renshaw
Deputy Principal/ Head of Secondary
