Drama Festival 2019

This year’s House Drama Festival was another showcase of Canford pupil talent.   As an entirely pupil-led event, houses organised play selection, casting, set design and costumes, lighting and staging.

Held in the Layard Theatre over four nights from Monday 21^st-Thursday 24^th January, the festival included the usual mix of different styles and productions. 

There was palpable tension in the air at the black tie Oscars-style prize giving, complete with obligatory golden statues.   Many congratulations to the following winners and highly commended houses and individuals (winners in bold):

Best Overall Performance

Marriotts - Inspired by 'The Riot Club'

Producer (Overall organisation and responsibility)

Emma Large and Georgina Kearns for de Lacy

Director (Creative vision and dramatic intention)

Emily Garton, Emma Crinks and Yasmin Chadwick for Marriotts

Upper School Actor

Emma Dalton for Marriotts, Jordan Le Boutillier for Court, James Fountain for Court, Emma Crinks for Marriotts, Felix Spencer for Monteacute

Upper School Supporting Actor

Ben Large for Monteacute, George Farthing for Court, Scott Montague for Lancaster, Alice Davies for Marriotts Freddie Hamilton for School

Lower School Actor

Oscar Rees for Court, Alice Hazel for Beaufort/Franklin, Nat Davey for Monteacute, Esther Browning for Wimborne, Ollie Glen for Wimborne

Lower School Supporting Actor

Mimi Edsall for Marriotts, Alex Geng for Beaufort/Franklin, Seb Gallego for Salisbury, Leo Burnet for Wimborne, Celia Leavesley for Wimborne

Ensemble (Sense of cohesion, rapport and consistency amongst cast)

Marriotts, Court, de Lacy

Set Design

Marriotts, Court, Monteacute

Lighting Operator

Callum Bruce for Wimborne

Sound Operator

Archie Gardiner for Lancaster

Stage Manager

Bella Green for Marriotts

Outstanding Achievement Awards (Outstanding achievement not covered by other categories)

Wilf Raby and Harry Mitchell for their writing of the original script Murder by Degree

Special Lifetime Achievement awards were also presented to Noah Jonas and Robert Way for their services to The Layard Theatre.

Director of Drama Laura Blake commented:

“Anyone who has been involved in a production will be able to tell you that a tech rehearsal, and sometimes a dress too, is an arduous task.  Those first attempts at bringing the many strands that contribute to a production together into one cohesive performance are confusing, slow, repetitive and terrifying!  The energy, dedication and focus that the pupils have displayed in bringing such wonderful productions to the stage within their busy timetables has been truly impressive.  My thanks to everyone involved within the houses, and also to my Drama department staff for giving so generously of their time and abundant expertise.

One of the things I love most about theatre is that it provides a space to hear people’s voices. From those that chose to entertain and delight, to those that thoughtfully provoked and even those that gave a pupil perspective of life at Canford, those voices have been used with creativity, respect and a good deal of talent.  Every pupil involved should feel extremely proud of what they have achieved.”