Warwick School
Drama at Warwick School has exceptional range and is pursued with relish and conviction by large numbers of boys. Drama is taught to all boys in the L4 and U4 for 70 minutes each week, and in L5 a thriving option group of 80 takes the subject further. GCSE and AS/A2 groups are thriving, the latter enjoying consortium arrangements with our sister school King’s High.
Each year we produce up to 20 different productions and theatrical events centered around the magnificent Bridge House Theatre and its dedicated team including technical and design staff. Boys have many opportunities to take part in weekly workshops, perform or play a role within production support (backstage, technical or design). There are slots in the programme each year for the boys to direct and produce their own plays, managing budget and design as an independent company.
Alongside masterclasses (Alfred Molina, Philip Quast) residencies from companies such as Frantic Assembly, festival productions (‘Victims of Duty’ – 2007 NSDF Finalist and Prizewinner) and individual casting opportunities through agencies and for productions at the RSC we aim to inspire the boys to enjoy as diverse and broad a range of experiences in drama as possible, and supplement their ‘in School’ productions with many trips and expeditions and performances outside. In April 2012 our Youth Theatre company (Foundations) will be taking its first production tour to Canada, performing ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ to audiences in Schools in the Toronto region.
The 2011-12 programme includes the following events and productions.
- Frantic Assembly Residency Three day devising residency for boys in U5-U6 – September 2011
- Pravda The Main School production – November 9-12 2011
- BBC Shakespeare by Heart 3 boys entered for this prestigious televised competition – 7 December 2011
- A2 Devised Work 3 separate performances of original devised work – December 2012
- The Birthday Party Student directed studio production – February 2012
- The Elephant Man Lower and Middle Fifth in this new adaptation of the true story of Joseph Merrick – March 2012
- AS Productions The Trial by Franz Kafka (adapted by Steven Berkoff), and 100 by Petterle, Monaghan, and Heimann – March 2012
- GCSE devised work 4 separate performances of original devised work – April 2012
- LAMDA examinations approximately 20 candidates entered for their grades 6-8 in acting – June 2012
- Alice Through the Looking Glass Foundations Youth Theatre performances prior to Canada Tour – March 2012, tour 11th -21st April 2012
- Bugsy Malone Lower and Upper fourth production of this classic musical – May 2012
