Cranford Review 2020

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PERFORMING
ARTS - DRAMA
Theatre Trip
As
I really liked the School of Rock performance
because of the naturalistic acting, for example
when Ned and Patty were sitting on the sofa talking
it was very realistic. Moreover the props were really
impressive because of how they came on and off stage
so fast and how they were set up so quickly.
Suneha Aziz (year 8)
School of Rock was an amazing experience, which gave
me a real insight into how actors breathe so much life into
a simple line. I also really liked the show because it helped
me realise how important props and costumes are to make
a performance amazing, it is not just about the acting. I am
really grateful for this amazing experience.
Caitlin Pyatt (year 8)
part of the Mind Body Soul programme the Performing
Arts team are working across Key Stage 3 to stage a
production of ‘School of Rock’. To help inspire our students and
demonstrate how much young performers can achieve, we took 60
students to see Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s smash hit.
On Thursday 5 December 2019, a quiet, cloudy day in London,
60 gifted and talented students leave school to go to the West
End! The excitement is palpable on the way to the Gillian
Lynne Theatre, students have seen the film, read the script and
now they are about to see it performed live.
The opening scene introduces the audience to the world of
Dewey Finn, a thirty-something rocker who just doesn’t fit
in a band. His ambition is to climb to the top of Mount Rock
and realise his dreams, with whoever will go along with
him for the ride. A few twists and turns later, Dewey finds
himself posing as a supply teacher and leading a group of
eager students to a local Battle of the Bands competition.
The students in the West End production were all
played by young people, the youngest of whom was
just nine years old. The energy the group brought to
the stage was phenomenal and they sang out hit after hit to
which our Cranford students sang along at the top of their
voices. As well as acting and singing, many of the onstage
actors were also accomplished musicians, playing bass,
guitar, drums and keys.
This hugely inspiring performance showed Cranford
students what they could do if they put their mind to
it, and also demonstrated how much work goes into
creating a high-energy musical.
Back in the rehearsal room, the excitement was
like a buzz running through the studio. We got into
position for the opening scene, a rock concert,
fans screaming and singing along, band on
stage, phones waving in the air. School of Rock
has landed at Cranford and we are going to
ROCK IT.
Katie Turner (Performing Arts)
22