Fyling Hall has been a buzz with performing arts. As March has rolled around again, the Eskdale Festival of Performing Arts, our local drama and music competition, has returned. Across the school students have been busy perfecting their poetry, drama and music pieces in eager anticipation of their performance.
Junior School
The Festival is a chance for all of our Junior School pupils to perform poetry in individual and choral speaking classes and to sing as part of the school choir. As I write this, they are still competing and in the senior school we are all thrilled by their haul of medals and the enthusiasm they have for performing.
Senior School – Years 7, 8 & 9
In the senior school two groups of pupils have been to the competition. Firstly, on Tuesday, three year 7 and 8 pupils: Grace, Sarah and Bella, competed in the Shakespeare solo category. The girls did an amazing job of taking on some challenging pieces of Shakespeare, from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth. They did the school proud with their performances. Special congratulation to Sarah who won the class.
They were joined by Toby from year 9 who performed his own poem ‘Christmas Eve 1914’ for the judges. An emotional piece which Toby originally performed at the Carol Concert, he was praised on his use of imagery and free verse.
Senior Drama Class
On Wednesday afternoon it was the turn of the senior drama classes. This year, 9 students from year 11 to 13 competed in the monologue classes along with year 9 student Amber. Performing pieces that will be part of their final GCSE exam on 18th March, the group had the opportunity to get additional feedback on their performances before their big exam. Ms Morris, the adjudicator, was very helpful in her feedback and gave the students plenty to think about. Outstanding performances from all the students made this a difficult class to judge and we were thrilled when Amber came away with a 3rd place certificate.
Year 10 Musicians
Next, it was the turn of Miss Johnson’s Year 10 musicians. Hyunbee, Emie-May, Merle, Senna, Brogan, Arthur and Freddie received joint first place out of 8 songs performed! They unusually received no criticism, and to top it off, as a result of their outstanding performance, Fyling Hall has been asked to perform at this summer’s Whitby Regatta. In the words of Miss Johnson, she is “super proud!” Ice creams all around!
Well done to everyone who has competed in the speech and drama part of the festival and good luck to all those competing in the music classes which continue until 11th March. We look forward to seeing some of our students in the Gala Concert on the evening of the 14th March at the Whitby Spa Pavilion.
Mrs Lizzie Jeeves, Head of Drama