DRAMATIC pupils at Solihull School have been treading the boards.
Ten of the independent school’s sixth form drama students presented a staging of Jane Eyre, in which theatre arts scholars Emma Hadley and Gwynneth Horbury alternated in the roles of Jane and Bertha for each of the four evening showings.
The lower school had previously performed Mermaid, a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic by Polly Teale, which featured 20 pupils from years eight and nine in a major production in the school’s Bushell Hall.
The performance was directed by two of the school’s sixth form drama students, Elle Miles and Kate Stumper, and was notable for a set complete with a pier covered with fishing nets and shells – created by theatre arts scholar Holly McClenaghan.
Solihull also recently hosted its first professional production with the touring company Dyad Productions performing a one-night public showing of Christmas Gothic.
The stage performances followed hot on the heels of the school’s first arts gala, which proved so successful it will become an annual event.
The gala, in aid of the Child Brain Injury Trust, featured a range of performances including aerial acrobatics, piano solos, a string ensemble, xylophone trio, drama in German and Spanish, and Shakespeare monologues.
Head of drama James Hammond said: “I was hugely impressed with how both our lower school and sixth form performers took to their roles, on and off stage, in the recent productions of Mermaid and Jane Eyre.
“The visit from Dyad Productions to perform Christmas Gothic also proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening.”
The application deadline for sixth form places at Solihull School is Wednesday January 10. Visit visit www.solsch.org.uk for further details.
