Performing Arts: Shakespeare

PERFORMING ARTS

Phebe Mason, Rosie Leishman (kneeling) and Melissa Uren performing a scene from Henry IV Part 1

Shakespeare Festival

Over Queen’s Birthday weekend, our Shakespeare Festival students travelled to Wellington with Head of Drama Sarah Spicer. Phebe Mason, Melissa Uren and Rosie Leishman were winners of the Auckland Central regional competition. The scene they performed from Henry IV Part I was an audience favourite, and they received a special mention as only the second group to attempt this scene in the 30 years of the Festival. More impressively, they were the only non-Welsh speakers to take on this challenge, having been coached by Welsh-speaking staff member, science teacher Elen Haf.

We were delighted that the girls survived their very late and delayed roller-coaster flight into Wellington, but especially that they took out three of the national awards. Phebe Mason won the Extraordinary Performance Award donated by Pform.nz. The girls’ performance also won the award for the Outstanding Student-Directed Music/ Song Award, donated by the Morrison Music Trust for the song Calon Lan. Jemima Box and Phebe Mason were awarded ‘highly commended’ for Costume Design – Jemima for her Cleopatra design and Phebe for her Cassius design. The girls were a credit to the School and engaged fully with the task of learning a London accent and textual analysis with Dr Peter Zazzali. A 2019 Fulbright Fellow from the University of Kansas, he is an expert in actor training in the USA and has been resident at Toi Whakaari for Terms 1 and 2. Being part of such an important event was not lost on these girls and they watched every scene with great attention and a keen focus to learn as much as possible.

During the weekend, the girls also went to see Yes, Yes, Yes, an innovative production with video footage and digital audience feedback as part of the action. Rosie Leishman was invited to perform in the production. She did a fantastic job and performing alongside such amazing professionals was a highlight for her.