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Reviews - Wednesday
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Trio consisted of three A-level drama pieces. The audience was led to different locations for each of the performances.
The first sketch was "Low Level Panic", performed by Jenny Burton, Mills Barkes and Amy Collis in the bathrooms of the TSR. They played three women discussing the harsh reality of the difficulties females face. The intensity kept the audience gripped; the actresses effectively demonstrated their acting skills.
Annie Morris and Rose Button put on their performance in a bath outside the language schools. This was another powerful piece, telling the story of two maids playing a game about their mistress, only to end in disaster. Both Annie and Rose transformed into their characters well, so putting on a fantastic performance.
While the audience sat in the sun on the mound, Priyanka Shah and Sarah Foot put on an impressive performance of "Waiting for Godot". This philosophical piece got everybody thinking. The costumes were fantastic and the two characters were played extremely well.
-- Emily Offord
Trio is a set of three LXX drama pieces, performed in a variety of unusual venues.
Amy Collis, Jenny Burton and Amelia Barkes took the roles of three troubled women in the emotionally evocative piece 'Low Level Panic'. Despite its apparently bizarre location (the TSR toilets), 'Low Level Panic' explores the powerful theme of body image and self-confidence in a moving performance considering rape and thoughts of suicide.
Following this, 'The Maids' continues the trend of atypical locations. Rose Button and Annie Morris play the parts of two sisters, Solange and Claire, who are plotting murder in a bathtub. This somewhat peculiar situation works extremely well and Rose and Annie give exceptionally strong performances, convincing the audience that they are indeed deranged .
Juxtaposing these pieces is 'Waiting for Godot'; a comic play featuring two tramps who are, as the title suggests, waiting for a mysterious Godot who never appears. Pinky Shah and Sarah Foot did this piece justice, entertaining the audience with their amusing antics, crazy conversations and bodily itches. Trio is a thoroughly enjoyable combination of performances, and you will never think of the TSR bathrooms in the same way again!
-- Ella Jackson
The ambitious production of Noye's Fludde was a triumph for the school's mighty orchestra and singers. There was also careful and entertaining choreography by Wendy Pickering. The drunken harpies affectionately known as 'Gossips' were first-rate: an excellent collection of singers, all convincingly swigging from water bottles. The children of Noye, the crème of the choral crop, were exceptional with their passion and expression. In particular I feel I must mention the brilliant Jem Leslie and Paddy Goodall. Elsewhere, Charlotte Hurley and Georgina Hanbury demonstrated their formidable talent as ballet dancers, providing elegant juxtaposition to the millions of sleeping animals. To summarize then, it was a fine addition to Richard Dunster-Sigtermans' CV, and I have no doubt that the soundtrack would sell out.
-- Sophie Boorman
Reading the general overview of the play, it is easy to see the endless possibilities for mayhem. The lighting was brilliantly timed and an amazing idea. The actors made full use of the props which were amazingly placed. I think it must be a lot harder to act blind when it's not dark!
Abi Ribbans played Clea perfectly and her face when Harold Gorringe (Barny Elmhirst) was insulting her was priceless. I think Alex Colville embodied the part of Colonel Melkett brilliantly and, all in all, the actors carried off a potentially difficult performance with seeming ease.
I highly recommend this play to anyone: with or without a sense of humour, this play will make you laugh, I promise! The acting is wonderful, the set is great, and the plot is hilarious. Altogether it was a thoroughly entertaining and exciting performance that I enjoyed immensely. Also, there is air conditioning!
-- Eleanor Robertson
Mr Fisher had obviously assessed the state of the student body, and the FLT was in the advantageous position of having air conditioning. This was a promising start.
The whole thing was obviously well organised and rehearsed and the transition between the slide show and the play was brilliantly done. I will say no more; go and see for yourself.
The one thing I really enjoyed was the American accents that the actors managed to keep going all the way through the half-hour performance. It can't be easy to argue in a raised voice whilst retaining a Tennessee accent!
I would say that the debate was aimed more at adults and older children but the humour was unmistakable.
Peter Morris portrayed his character in a very realistic way, getting across the irritation when the judge refused to hear his witnesses and the sarcasm with which he regarded Brady (Tom Wiegman).
This debate will appeal to both evolutionists and creationists and, as Miss Greatwood would say, Agnostics Anonymous. If you are any of the above, or indeed, anyone looking for an air-conditioned forty-five minutes of debate; I suggest you make your way to the FLT.
-- Eleanor Robertson
Double Bill consisted of two short performances, 'Watermelon Boats' performed by Alesha Sethia and Emily Wilson, and 'Hang up' played by Abi Ribbans and Hugh Johnson-Gilbert.
'Watermelon Boats' was a heartfelt glance at friendship between two girls over a number of years. The accents were incredibly realistic and the use of props was really impressive. The characters were very convincing and the parts were played incredibly well by both.
Abi and Hugh's piece provided intense emotion conveyed by a couple who were having relationship issues. The acting was so brilliantly realistic and convinving that each and every one of the audience felt emotional towards the end of the performance. The dancing towards the beginning of the scene was impressively choreographed as the couple moved skilfully in time with each other.
It was clear to the audience that a lot of hard work had gone into these pieces and even the smallest details such as lighting had been thoroughly considered in order to make the performances as fantastic as they were.
-- Emma Bradstreet
Having been lured into the Lewis Gallery under false promises of food, my disappointment was overcome rather quickly as some of Rugby School's finest proceeded to serve up refreshing portions of literary musings accompanied by lyrical accoutrements (ok... that'll do). Try as I might this bevy of high culture cannot be flawed, from team Fletcher's feast of poetry and prose (I'll stop now I promise...) to Jem Leslie's enchanting repertoire of songs, all of which was wonderfully framed with a thought-provoking selection of image projections.
-- Hugh Johnson-Gilbert
Set in the quiet ambiance of the Lewis Gallery, 'The Food of Love' was a relaxing break from some of the more upbeat events of the Arts Festival thus far. From the beautiful violin duets from Portia Chan (Tu) and Charlotte von Schonfeld (B) to the array of poems and performances from some of the School's most talented singers, the hour-long art spectacle was obviously a hit with its (rather sweaty) audience. Each musical performance, and indeed the poems, complemented perfectly some timeless pieces of art, set up as the backdrop, and all were linked to the theme of love. Those who did not get the chance to see it have missed out; those who did will, I'm sure, agree that it has been one of the best, and most peaceful, Arts Festival events so far.
-- Harriet Manson
Music is something I am neither good at nor know much about, but I was pleasantly surprised by the Music Tech Concert. The opening number, 'Digerifunk' by Ben Hayes (T) on the didgeridoo, was a brilliantly wacky opener to the event and set pretty high standards for what was to follow. The (rather excitable and testosterone-fuelled) audience was not disappointed, from AS coursework pieces by Will Weaving (K) and Simon Green (K), to montages from F block music slideshows and the 'Floreat Dub' - sounded like drum and bass to me, but apparently the school song was lurking in there somewhere. The last two performances, two groups playing The Clash's 'One More Time' and The Beatles' 'Day Tripper', signalled the end of what was a very impressive display of the musical talent we have here at Rugby.
-- Harriet Manson
A particular favourite was the story of Cyclops performed by an E block Latin / Greek set, involving a Cyclops, named Polyphemus, played by Alex Thorn. It is a rather gory tale, and some E blockers do get eaten by the one-eyed giant, but it provides a lot of entertainment.
Some other performances are geared to a more mature audience, such as that of Lysistrata, where we saw four Lxx boys getting quite eager in their role as housewives. We also saw four Lxx girls, acting as Athenian Loose Women, in Thesmophoriazusae, which presents us with a series of ancient jokes.
Overall, the Festival of Dionysus is full of laughter and tears and definitely not to be missed. It could even initiate a love for classical mythology.
-- Rachel Barclay
The video games option was a very great idea and provided a good opportunity to talk computerspeak to your friends whilst having fun on many different games consoles. There were Playstations 3 and 2, an X-Box and other games provided on the PCs that lined the walls. It was a very good choice to make during the Arts festival because it gave you a chance to relax and cool off with your mates.
Guitar Hero was a popular choice which was fit for two players and FIFA was also a very good choice. The sessions for the video games were very well thought out because there were not too many people and there were enough games consoles to give everyone a good go on all of the games so queuing was not an issue. The consoles were spread out over two different rooms and the members of staff were very helpful if issues arose.
Overall I am very glad that I went to the Video Games workshop and I would recommend it for next year.
-- Jack Baron
