Young performers back with a bang!
The Rydal Penrhos Dramatic Society returned better than ever as their flagship performance of Matilda the Musical, Junior left pupils, parents, staff, governors and members of our local community amazed by the creativity, passion and professionalism of our budding thespians and support crew.
The show’s three-night run in early December was the culmination of months of practice and preparation that continued despite the challenges posed by coronavirus restrictions.
The school’s performance of Dennis Kelly’s theatrical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s novel was the first major school production since 2019’s Les Misérables, due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
In the past two years, Rydal Penrhos has made great efforts to ensure that drama continues, both as part of the curriculum and outside of class time. In the absence of school trips to the theatre, pupils were given special access to live and pre-recorded performances.
During the educational lockdown, the drama curriculum adapted to feature thought-provoking study of Greek Theatre (exploring choral speech and creating masks) Commedia Dell Arte (exploring its history and key characters) and Verbatim Theatre (script writing and devising a short performance).
Outside of lockdown, a Year 7 Drama Club allowed pupils to engage in many drama-related games and activities; an especially useful opportunity for pupils of that age as they make new friends and adapt to a new environment.
Even live performances occurred during the period, including a Prep production of ‘A Rainbow Year’. Performed, co-written and co-directed by pupils in Year 6, the show featured a variety showcase including synchronised basketball, a Welsh sketch, masked dancing and colourful flag-waving.
While the production embraced pandemic themes, it also offered a message of hope for a better future when normality might return. The successful staging of Matilda the Musical, Junior – live in front of a sell-out (capacity-restricted) audience – serves as evidence of that brighter future.
Tilly Trueman and Violet Roberts led a talented cast with their impressive turns in the titular role. Pupils from Year 7 to 13 demonstrated their exceptional talents in performance, music and singing, while an equally vital contingent of pupils offered technical support in lighting, sound and staging that helped transform our Memorial Hall into a dazzling and atmospheric theatre venue.
Audiences were impressed by the show’s high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and convincing characterisation as the story of an extraordinary young protagonist and her dealings with parents, teachers and an evil headmistress were brought to life.
Mrs Rachel Jones, the school’s Head of Drama, should be particularly praised for directing and coordinating the production. She said: “The opportunity to perform reminds us how deeply live performances have been missed over the past 18 months. We are proud to see both longtime Rydal Penrhos pupils and new entrants to the school getting involved and thoroughly enjoying the process of bringing a script and sheet music to life, all the while making new friends and memories along the way.”
A wide array of our talented staff supported Mrs Jones by lending their expertise to the production; these included Mr Mark Sherrington (Art), Mr Mark Harmsworth and Mr James Bonser (Design Technology) and, not least, Mr Pete Williams, the Director of Music.
He said: “This was an incredible production and one I was very proud to be a part of. Our pupils deserve all the credit for putting in the work alongside their studies, with the tech team’s efforts behind the scenes also deserving of huge recognition.
“Rydal Penrhos is proud of the performing arts, implementing this into the curriculum and throughout our extra-curricular provision. I’ve been lucky to be involved in some remarkable productions during my time at the school and this was another one that filled me and the entire staff team with a real sense of pride.”
Staff and pupils hope that the successful staging of Matilda the Musical, Junior proves an early example of a fully-realized school calendar returning following the disruption of recent years. It is already clear that the production stands proud among the history of Rydal Penrhos drama, which was explored in some depth in a previous edition of the newsletter.
With a Four Choirs Concert scheduled for Tuesday 22 March in the Memorial Hall, followed by the Prep Spring Concert on Wednesday 30 March, all signs are that the expressive arts at Rydal Penrhos stand in great stead moving forward.
