Year 10 theatre visit filled with surprises

On Friday 3 November Year 10 drama students took part in their first live theatre visit accompanied by members of our sixth form.

This was an opportunity for students to not only see one of the key texts delivered at GCSE but also take part in a Q&A session after the play with the Director and cast.

'Things I Know To Be True' is one of the most popular plays produced by the globally renowned 'Frantic Assembly'. Following the story of the Price family, it is a gritty and sometimes raw play about love in  many of its forms. At times comforting and supportive. At others suffocating and destructive. But always love. This reimagined version by The Actor's Lounge brought many of our students to tears in what, for many, would have been their first experience of live drama.

As always, our drama students' behaviour was exemplorary. The insightful and perceptive questions our students raised during the Q&A session really gave the cast and director lots to think about,  their confidence and willingness to take part - heartwarming. But there was another surprise in store, because one of the cast was none other than Felix Johnson, a drama alumni from Chatham and Clarendon. For our students to see 'one of our own' treading the boards professionally was really inspirational and the accommodating Actor's Lounge cast and crew were really generous with their time, posing for photos and autographs after the Q&A had finished. At the end of the evening director, Abigail Boyd, also took time to introduce herself to our teaching staff and offered encouragement and support for our upcoming HOUSELIGHTS production, JAB.

Our next theatre visit will be in February when we take our Key Stage 5 students to see Frantic Assembly's new production 'Metamorphosis' at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith.