New Views Visit to Othello

Rafi Ahmed, U4W

The National Theatre is known for producing outstanding performances. As part of its annual playwriting competition, New Views, a group of young Bancroft’s playwrights, witnessed this first-hand at the National’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s timeless classic: Othello. For all involved, the evening was breathtaking, unforgettable and filled with excitement.

As we rendezvoused at Woodford Station, our excitement was palpable. Our journey to the theatre was filled with nerves and anticipation. Upon arrival, we were struck by the theatre’s grandeur and beauty: a simplistic concrete brutalist facade lit by London’s warm yellow lights.

The highlight of the evening was Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello. The set resembled a modern interpretation of an amphitheatre with towering steps. The play began with the cast descending the concrete steps with lit torches in hand. A level of energy and passion was evident in the play, with each actor pouring their heart and soul into their roles. The production was both traditional and radical, breathing new life into a well-known story.

Crazy for You was the 2023 Senior musical: a show full of cowboys, showgirls, and mistaken identities. The story follows Bobby Child, a young banker from New York with a dream to dance, who falls in love with the headstrong, feisty Polly Baker, postmistress and only woman in Deadrock, Nevada. Putting on the show was a fantastic experience - from the hilarious read-through to the stressful dress rehearsals – every moment was eventful.

One of the biggest challenges the cast had to face was the sheer amount of choreography. As we weren’t a cast full of trained dancers, this seemed a bit daunting at first - beginning with the dance audition at the start of the year. Thankfully, after about a thousand rehearsals of I Got Rhythm and Slap that Bass, Michelle – our ever-patient dance coach – managed to whip us into shape.

Rosy McEwen’s portrayal of Desdemona was particularly impressive. Her portrayal of Desdemona was one of a strong and determined woman who was not afraid to stand up to Othello. Meanwhile, Giles Terera gave a powerful performance as Othello, showing both his strength and vulnerability.

The production tackled difficult themes such as domestic violence and toxic masculinity with care and sensitivity. These themes were explored in a way that felt poignant and relevant, making the production more compelling.

Overall, the New Views playwriting group left the National Theatre feeling invigorated. Our experience with New Views and at the National Theatre will stay with us for years to come. We were reminded of theatre’s power to explore complex themes and emotions and the importance of supporting young writers and artists. We hope one day we can showcase our own work on the National Theatre stage. It is our hope that these experiences will continue to influence us artistically and reflect in our own plays.

Set on traverse staging (having the audience facing each other on two sides) we had many blocking rehearsals just trying to figure out where everyone could stand so that none of the audience missed too much. All the time was worth it to see Deadrock come to life on the floor, with

Paris Visit

Krishan Arya, U4E

Last December, a group of Bancroft’s students from Lower Fourths, Upper Fourths and the Fifth Form embarked on a five-day trip to Paris. We journeyed by bus and ferry: a fatiguing and long journey.

On the second day, we visited many monuments: first, it was the Palace of Versailles, a bewildering sight and the gardens were truly beautiful. Afterwards, we bought some delicious food at the Christmas market after having wandered around it. Then we had a virtual reality experience which felt incredibly realistic and exhilarating. Later that evening we watched the Football World Cup final – France v Argentina. It was miraculous when Mbappé scored two goals quickly, but Argentina won the penalties and the World Cup. There was a lot of passion and a brilliant atmosphere during the game, and we had a lot of fun.

We visited the Louvre and were within touching distance of the Mona Lisa! We walked down the delightful ChampsÉlysées to eat lunch and stood under the Arc de Triomphe. To our disappointment the Eiffel Tower was closed, but instead we ascended the Montparnasse Tower, and the views were magnificent. We travelled along the River Seine by boat at night and the city glimmered with colourful lights. Later, we reunited with the amazing Pauline at dinner, which was an unforgettable surprise. For me, the highlight was the day at Disneyland with my friends. We went on loads of the scariest attractions and it was the most breath-taking part of the whole trip. We ended the trip in Montmartre, a village north of Paris, where was lovely grand church with beautiful views.

I learned a lot in France, and had an incredible time with my friends on this truly memorable and fabulous trip. I would like to thank Mr. Béquignon for organising one of the most magnificent trips we had all been on and all the staff who took time out of their holiday to share this wonderful time with us.