KGS Friends July 2017

JULY 2017, ISSUE 22

www.kgs.org.uk/community/alumni

KGS Friends

...INCORPORATING THE OLD KINGSTONIAN ASSOCIATION

Farewell to John Cook John Cook is stepping down as Chair of KGS Friends after six distinguished years of service.

Having taught at the School for 36 years, with experience of management at the very highest level, including a stint as co-acting Head, and with an unparalleled knowledge of and popularity among many generations of alumni, John was the obvious first choice to be the fledging society’s first Chair. (Cont. Page 2)

Staff News

John Cook Cont. from Page 1... And what a great choice he turned out to be! Under his careful leadership, KGS Friends has become a hugely successful organisation, hosting a wide range of popular, well-attended events and activities, as even a cursory glance through this newsletter will amply demonstrate. He has led the committee with great tact and diplomacy and earned the unreserved respect of all he has had dealings with. The fact that the committee thrives so well and is such a close-knit, friendly group, who genuinely enjoy coming to meetings, is testament to his skilful leadership – clear guidance with a light touch.

John’s cheerful, friendly manner has been a real asset, and the easy camaraderie he engenders as host at our events goes a long way to making them so enjoyable. Throughout, he and the society have benefitted from the

unwavering support of his wife, Lyn, who has been an unofficial co-host at John’s side and an essential part of the team.

It is not easy to imagine KGS Friends without John and Lyn, but he has agreed to remain on the committee until December (his term of office began officially in January 2011) to help the transition.

From September we welcome a new Chair, Claire Saul (nee Phinbow, OK 1987), whose first duty will be to host a 30 year reunion for her cohort on the 16th of that month (see right for details). The next issue of the newsletter will feature a profile of Claire.

For now, though, it is ‘ave atque vale’ to John. He may be stepping down as our Chairman, but all OKs will hope that he will be keeping in touch and that he and Lyn will continue to be regular attendees, albeit in a less official capacity, at a great many events in the years to come.

Katie Raymond It is with a heavy heart that I report the departure to fresh woods and pastures new of our Alumni Officer, Katie Raymond. Katie was appointed in September 2014, having previously been administrative assistant to the Sport Department since 2012, and now she leaves us for a similar position in a larger department at UCL. During her time with us, Katie has shown herself to be a woman of many talents. Not only has she proved to be a remarkably efficient administrator, but she has brought design flair to the Newsletter, been a superb events creator and organiser, dealt robustly but always fairly with quibbling parents and alumni and been hearteningly and admirably brisk with any traders, contractors, venue managers or others who did not live up to her exacting standards (being a soft touch myself, I have on countless times been gratefully rescued from disaster by her no-nonsense, zero-tolerance approach). She has maintained and streamlined the database, kept on top of the key performance indicators, revolutionised our use of social media, managed the year rep programme, kept minutes, set agendas, sent galaxies of e-mails and been a fount of good advice and useful opinion. She has generated a real warmth among the very many alumni, staff and parents who have come to know her and been a brilliantly friendly and supportive colleague.

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KGS Friends simply wouldn’t be the successful organisation it is without her, and we will all miss her terribly. And she can sing, too!

Bereft is what we are, after a period of denial. It is our good fortune that, conscientious to the end, she had set up all the summer’s events before she departed, ensuring that, while we would miss her hugely, the show would go on. She even got most of this Newsletter knocked into shape weeks before it was due to be published! We wish Katie every success in her new post and every happiness in the years ahead, and hope she will come back and see us very soon.

Nick Bond

Forthcoming Events Quiz Evening Saturday 7th Oct, 7.30pm, School Hall Give your grey matter a real work-out. Pit your wits against the mightiest minds the KGS community can offer. Show the world who knows best, and carry off the sparkling prizes. And enjoy a seriously special curry, a glass of wine or two on us and a cash bar. Suitable for brains of all sizes!

Who will be crowned champions? Can anyone (please!) keep the KGS Friends Committee out of last place?

For a bumper evening of fun, frolics and phrenological frenzy, put together a team and book your place at www.trybooking.co.uk/CIJ

Calling all KGS Millennials!

2000-2010 Decade Reunion, Saturday 25th November, from 12.30pm Were you at KGS at any time in the decade after Y2K, that bug and the Dome? Please come and celebrate the infamous, amazing, astonishing noughties, when the world didn’t end but certainly changed.

Meet up with old friends, make new ones, see people you haven’t seen since you left school and how much they (and you) have changed, try to get used to calling your old teachers by their first names, have a proper school lunch (only nicer), a few drinks, a look round the old alma mater to see how (if) it has changed too, and then, perhaps, toddle off to a nearby hostelry to keep the reminiscences and the bonhomie flowing.

It’s going to be a great day, and we hope to see you all there.

Watch out for full details of how to book in the next issue, and on social media, on the website and by email in the autumn.

Class of 2017 - One Term On Wednesday 20th December Just about the biggest event of the year! A chance for this year’s leavers (and anyone who left the year group previously) to get together and catch up after their first tumultuous term away. Free drinks and food on KGS Friends in The Gazebo in Kingston. Watch out for details and be sure to book in good time.

For parents too! One term on from your darlings leaving KGS, get together courtesy of KGS Friends at the same time as the youngsters next door at The Bishop. Booking details will be circulated in the autumn.

KGS Hockey Celebration

Class of 1987 - 30 Yr Reunion

Sat 9th Sept, Ditton Field from 12pm

Sat 16th Sept from 1.30pm Relive those pioneering days of co-education and celebrate thirty years since you left KGS. Have a few drinks, a crepe or a waffle or two, take a look around the school to see what’s new and what’s not and then move on for a convivial evening.

To book please go to www.trybooking.co.uk/CJD

All in the KGS Hockey community are invited down to Ditton Field for some food and drinks, to watch a series of matches between past and present players and to celebrate Denis Buttanshaw’s hockey career following his recent stepping down as Head of Hockey at the School. Please book through the following link so we can cater for all: www.trybooking.co.uk/CFS K G S F r ie nd s

July 2017

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Alumni News

KGS Staff and OKs lead Surbiton to National Glory Sunday 23rd April saw both Surbiton Hockey Club men’s and women’s first teams in the finals of the National Championships and securing places in next year’s European Hockey League. The men, captained by KGS sports coach Lewis Prosser and with OK and current sports coach Dave Bartram in the side, faced Wimbledon in their final. 3-0 down with seven minutes to go, Surbiton managed to drag themselves back to draw the game, taking the cup to penalty shuffles, which Surbiton won 3-2 to be crowned national champions.

The ladies (who had already won a place in Europe by winning the league), captained by OK Sarah Haycroft, then won their fourth cup final in as many years. For the first time in the club’s history, both the men’s and women’s first teams were national champions.

Sophie Dunster’s New Collection Ethical fashion designer Sophie Dunster (OK 2010), who presented at the Visual Arts Evening in February, has been working on the new collection for her company Gung Ho. In order to bring the work to life, Sophie has set up a Kickstarter page and would love it if anyone interested in her work could take a look and perhaps spread the word. Any support would, she says, ‘just make my week/month/year!’ www.kickstarter.com/projects/1234783510/gung-ho-design-ethical-fashion-that-means-more

Finn Harman Wins his Blue Freshman Finn Harman (OK 2016) won his Full Blue representing Cambridge in the 125th Swimming Varsity Match. While Oxford emerged as victors overall, Finn’s contribution ensured that the Cambridge men managed a draw, which meant they retained the Varsity trophy won last year.

With Cambridge needing to win the final relay to secure the draw, Finn got the team off to an excellent start, earning his Full Blue with a blistering time of 51.82 and beating Oxford by 2 seconds. From there, the men’s team never looked back: their time of 3:27.03 set a new Cambridge record and beat Oxford by over 7.5 seconds.

Congratulations to Finn. We shall follow his progress with great interest in the years ahead.

Sophia Christie Art Award OK (2005) and current teacher of Art at KGS, Sophia Christie, has been awarded the Olympia Alice Art Award for her work in her Masters in Fine Art. Here she tells the story: “In September 2015 I embarked on the daunting prospect of combining teaching at KGS with a Masters in Fine Art at Wimbledon College of Art. Now, nearly two years on, I have a sense of relief that I have not only survived, but passed with Merit, and elation that my degree show artwork was honoured with the Olympia Alice Art Award.

“The course has been both challenging and transformative, turning a former oil painter into a mixed-media installation artist. Through a programme of tutorials, group ‘crits’ and presentations to gallery curators (the feared ‘Dragons’ Den’), I have honed my practice and learnt how best to communicate my research.

“My degree show artwork, Memento, focused on the mystery of what happens to memories once forgotten. Using different media as a metaphor for the process of forgetting, I created an installation which gave erased memories a physical presence and allowed the viewer to consider the unpredictable processes and intangible corners of the mind.”

You can view Sophia’s work here: www.firechristie.wixsite.com/sophiachristieart 4

Molly Hanson (OK 2010) KGS Friends were excited to see Molly Hanson playing the role of Toby in the brilliant all-female production of Laura Wade’s Posh, about a fictional version of the riotous Oxford students’ Bullingdon Club, at the Pleasance Theatre in April.

Following this production, Molly has been nominated for Best Supporting Female in a play in The Offie Awards. Best of luck to Molly!

Kerem Hasan Kerem Hasan, who left KGS in 2008 to go to the Purcell School and subsequently studied piano and conducting at the Royal Scottish Academy in Glasgow, was runner-up in the London Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Donatella Flick’ conducting competition in 2016 – an extraordinary achievement in a highly prestigious competition. Twenty candidates were short-listed for Round 1, ten went through to the second round then three for the final, including Kerem.

Sadly, Kerem didn’t win, but his Verdi overture was considered the outstanding version of the three. As a result he has been appointed Associate Conductor for the Welsh National Opera, and he has been enjoying many engagements while continuing his studies at the Zurich University of the Arts. These achievements will be fantastic stepping-stones to his future career, so do look out for him.

Iain Mandale OUBC President Congratulations to Iain Mandale (OK 2011), who, despite not being a blue and not even being currently in residence (he returns in the autumn to begin an MBA), has been elected President of the Oxford University Boat Club.

This is a signal honour and a huge vote of confidence in Iain as the Club sets its sights on next year’s Boat Race. Iain follows in the blade-strokes of fellow OK Ben Myers, who was the dark blues’ President in 2011, the Year Iain captained the KGSBC.

Mid-Fifties Luncheon Thanks to Robin Woollatt (OK 1954) for sending this lovely photograph from the Mid-Fifties Luncheon held at Founders’ Hall on the 12th April 2017. We are always delighted to see OKs getting together!

Colin Wilson Cycle Colin Wilson (OK 1988) is cycling in the RideLondon 100 mile cycle on 30 July to raise funds for blood cancer charity, Bloodwise. Colin’s father, Don Wilson (OK 1951) sadly passed away from the disease in 2015. Don captained the KGS 1st XI hockey team in the 1950s before going on to play for Middlesex, Scotland and Great Britain. He was also President of the KGS Golf Society for many years.

You can support Colin at www.virginmoneygiving. com/colin-wilson-xad-PRLS-2017-42506222 K G S F r ie nd s

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Obituaries

David Chambers (OK 1955) We were sad to hear of the death of David Chambers, who passed away on 5th February 2017.

His wife Debbie writes, “Although David was no great academic, he was successful in his own business and had many keen interests. He was passionate about wild life, from all over the world down to quite varied creatures in our own garden, which due to his horticultural prowess we opened with the National Garden Scheme.

“He was a volunteer on our local heritage railway and I am now the proud owner of some shares of an engine being restored on that line!

“Encouraged by the sport ethic from the school and his father, David was a keen hockey player although golf took priority in his latter years.

His funeral was held in our local church, St Luke’s, Hickling and he would have been proud of the love and respect shown to him by all who knew him.”

David leaves his wife Debbie, son Paul and two grandchildren.

William Chaloner (OK 1945) William Chaloner passed away on 13th October 2016, aged 87.

William was a palaeontologist and an expert on fossil plants and primitive swamps dating back millions of years. Flamboyant and fast-talking, he poured his ceaseless energy into exploring the modern challenges of climate change and oil. He once used olive leaves collected from Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt to calculate the carbon dioxide concentration of the atmosphere at the time of the Pharaoh. And his examination of fossil ginkgo leaves showed that Britain was warmer 170 million years ago and had more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than today.

When William left Kingston Grammar School he read Geology at Chelsea Polytechnic before a BSc and PhD in Botany at Reading University and a fellowship at Michigan. He went on to become a professor at the University of London — at UCL in 1956, Birkbeck College in 1972 and then Bedford College and Royal Holloway.

He met his wife, Judy, an American, on board the Queen Mary on his way back to England to do his National Service in 1954.

She offered to help put sun cream on his back. It was love at first sight and she never returned home. William’s energies stretched from tennis to cycling and he was an avid wine maker with his own label “Château Chaloner”. Until his eighties, there was always a vat of sauvignon blanc bubbling away in the utility room.

William had two daughters: Caroline, who works for the World Health Organisation, and Sarah, a television production manager; and a son, Michael, who works for the Royal Mail.

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Obituaries

Steve Margolis (OK 1951)

John Pearce (OK 1960) It is with sadness that we have to report the death of John Pearce (‘Piggo’). The funeral was held on 25th January at the Isle of Wight Crematorium.

John rowed in the first eight at KGS and went on to become a Vice President of Kingston Rowing Club.

A devotee of all things nautical, in 1972 John entered the London to Monte Carlo power boat race, and as a sailor he managed to finish the infamous Fastnet race of 1979 when 40% of the fleet retired because of storm conditions.

On retiring from the family business, Thames Ditton Marina, John moved to the Isle of Wight. His many friends will miss his cheerful and positive outlook on life; this was in spite of a long period of illness which saw him in and out of hospital over his latter years.

Steve was the oldest of three brothers to attend KGS. He joined the Prep form midway through the 1961/62 academic year, and was one of the sizeable group of boys who travelled from Cheam and Worcester Park to KGS on the 213 bus. Steve was an imaginative and lateral thinker with a talent for mathematics, but did not perhaps do justice to his intellectual ability at school. However, he retained considerable affection for KGS, maintained an interest in the School, and forged some lifelong friendships.

Steve was a free spirit and happiest working for himself. After leaving school, he worked in IT for the family engineering company, enjoyed designing and developing speakers, and spent many years as an Aikido (martial arts) teacher. He loved football,

was a keen Burnley supporter, and delighted in their recent return to the Premier League.

He leaves behind his partner Sue, his son Edward and daughter Anne and their families.

Steve married late and was justly proud of his two sons, the elder of whom obtained outstanding GCSE results in the summer of 2016. He was a fit, active and energetic man with a view on everything that was happening in the world, and it was a great shock to his wide circle of friends to hear that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

He fought cancer with determination, courage and dignity with great support from his family, friends and the music of Leonard Cohen.

His funeral was a moving affair and the Rabbi, in her address, praised his unflinching approach to his final ordeal. He will be much missed.

Peter Douty (OK 1953) We were sorry to hear that Peter Douty had passed away on the 19th February 2017. Peter was a keen hockey player and during his time at KGS, played three seasons on the left wing with the 1st XI.

Today his name is rightfully displayed on the honours board at Ditton Field. Peter continued with hockey during his time in the Royal Air Force and later played a season for Wales.

K G S F r ie nd s

July 2017

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recent Events

Sturgeon Cricket & Feast at the Field Well, it didn’t rain. There was even sunshine (at least some of the time) though the sky lowered and threatened too, and regardless, the burgers and bangers sizzled, the Pimms (or something very like it) with beaded bubbles and purple-stained mouth winked at the brim, the castle bounced and the ice cream melted in the excitement.

The Feast at the Field, the Sturgeon Cricket and the Family Tennis were more popular than ever, and Sunday 25th June was a simply lovely day enjoyed by a large crowd from all parts of the School community.

In the cricket, the RJ Sturgeon XIs prevailed in both matches, and James Gordon, the doyen and mainstay of the event, presented the trophy to the winning captain, Tom Beaumont, and the Rodney Sturgeon Award for the Cricketer who has Made the Most of his (or her) Talent to Joe Mallinson, who we hope will be back playing for the OKs next year.

It was a treat to see former Groundsman Gary Brailsford and his wife Sue back at Ditton Field – and very handy too as Gary was quickly set to work.

Sorry, but we still owe him for the ice! KGS Friends committee members Roland Wales (behind the BBQ) and Sarah Ainsworth (just about everywhere) did sterling service, and outgoing Chair John Cook and wife Lyn and incoming Chair Claire Saul and husband Duncan, manned the bar, well, manfully. Many thanks to all those who helped (the new Groundsman, Matt Parry was a tower of strength all week), to all those who donned the whites and to all those who just came along for a nice day out. See you next year!

Henley Royal Regatta Reception This year’s Henley Reception, jointly run by KGS Friends and the Sherriff Club, was a huge success. Around 150 people (it seemed like more) gathered at the KGS marquees on the outfield of Henley Cricket Club to enjoy a well-stocked free bar and a delicious canapé lunch by Sharon Linney and royal garden-party caterers, Ampersand Events.

We were delighted to welcome rowing alumni, many resplendent in their red blazers and new boat club ties. Michael Barber (OK 1951) once more won the prize for the oldest OK present, while Patrick Weir (OK 1988) had come furthest, all the way from Switzerland, John Elliot (OK 1964), a debutant at the event, regretted not having rowed since he left KGS 53 years ago, and Iain Mandale announced he had been made OUBC president for next year.

Our thanks to Mrs Linney for arranging the magnificent food, to the Sherriff Club for all their hard work and manning the bar, and to Richard Smalman-Smith for organising the packing and driving of the trailer. And, of course, thank you to everyone who came along to make it such a special occasion.

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recent Events

Networking Evening Following the huge success of last year’s inaugural event in the Palace of Westminster, this year’s Networking Evening moved to the elegant surroundings of the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, courtesy of the Head Master.

The guest speaker was BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins, who delivered an amusing, insightful address that was both entertaining and instructive. As befitted the occasion (and the times) he spoke of the need for trust and truthfulness in our dealings with each other and in the way we communicate, and there were stories and anecdotes from his fascinating career in the BBC, his many travels and the people he has met. Tales of meeting Nelson Mandela and of sleeping (might ‘crashing’ be the word?) in the Foreign Secretary’s bed on one particularly ticklish diplomatic trip (he was at pains to point out that the Foreign Secretary was not in the bed at the time!) will live long in the memory.

A healthy number of pupils, alumni, parents, staff and governors attended, some 60 in all, though the number of sixth-formers was down a little owing to the proximity of study leave and the imminence of examinations. The evening was, it has been reported, very worthwhile, and it was certainly hugely enjoyable – so much so that it was really very difficult to persuade people to go home (some, indeed, didn’t, we understand!) The search is now on for an interesting venue and speaker for next year’s event - all suggestions would be very welcome!

Our thanks to the Lansdowne Club for being such excellent hosts, to the Head Master for facilitating the evening, to James Robbins for making it special and to everyone who came and supported the event.

We hope to see you all again next year!

5 Year Reunion

10 Year Reunion

This year’s Five Year Reunion was another amazing evening at The Jam Tree in Chelsea. Around 70 crammed into the upper terrace on a glorious summer’s evening, tucking into plenty of fluids to stave off dehydration and hoovering up anything edible in their path. At times the pub staff looked worried their stocks of bottled beverages might not last the evening, but they managed to keep the supplies coming. After the garden shut at 11pm it was off upstairs to the loft bar, where the conversation and the entertainment continued. Thankfully, your correspondent had faded into the sunset long before, but have been assured that a good time continued to be had by all.

This was a tremendous effort by year reps Steph Addison and Eline Sibia to get so many along; thanks to them and everyone who came, it was a huge success and a wonderfully enjoyable evening.

The sun shone, the wind blew, the Prosecco flowed and the crepes flew (it was very windy!). Around 30 of the Class of 2007 washed up in the quad on Saturday 10 June to exchange news and gossip of weddings, engagements (OMG!) even children.

After the hollow-legs had soaked up just about everything we had, there was a rag-tag stagger round the school (“What have they done to the cage? Oh, I say – automatic doors! Look, you’ve got a brick!”) involving a few notes being left in pigeon holes in the staff common room and an amazing find in the Art Department, where the underside of a table in the Sixth-Form Room held very special memories.

And then it was off to the Albion and the evening drifted on.

It was a lovely day. Thanks to Adele Hing and Lindsey Robinson for organising everyone, and thank you all for coming.

K G S F r ie nd s

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NT Live Screenings at KGS

JOHN LE CARRÉ An Evening with George Smiley 7.45pm, Thu 7 Sept In a rare public appearance, the acclaimed author talks about his work and reads from his new book, A Legacy of Spies Broadcast live from the Royal Festival Hall Tickets from £10

www.michaelfrayntheatre.com KGS Golf Society Very friendly and welcoming.

For present and former pupils, parents, staff and their families.

Any standard welcome.

Matches against other schools every month or so from April to Sept/Oct. ~ KGSGS Spring Scramble ~ ~ Past v Present Match ~ ~ Season-long Knock Out Cup ~ ~ Champion Player of the Year Cup ~ We look forward to seeing you at future matches. Please e-mail our Secretary Richard Wickerson: richardwickerson@hotmail.com Next meetings: Thursday 27th July vs Surbiton and Hampton at Puttenham GC. Thursday 21st September Captain’s Day at Roehampton Club.

Do come and join us!

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From the Archive

Treasure Recovered for KGS Archive One of my duties as archivist is to be on the lookout for items to add to and enhance the school archive. Items most frequently come as donations from OKs and other friends of the School, but sometimes we purchase them. As a matter of course, I do a periodic search of eBay, but this has never turned up much, until last month, when I found this silver key. I did some research and realised that this key records an important event in KGS history…

was performed by Canon Barnes, and was begun by a prayer and continued by a speech. He spoke on the noteworthy fact that a laboratory of science was being opened for use in a school by a minister of religion and in the name of God. Such an occasion should be enough to convince sane men that the war between physical science and revealed religion was now a thing of the past ….

This key marks the opening of a new building in 1924. One side is engraved ‘Physics Laboratory Kingston Grammar School’, the other ‘Opened by Canon E W Barnes, 17th May 1924’. It is about 13cm long and weighs 33 grams. It must have been presented to Canon Barnes to thank him for performing the official opening. The number of boys at the School had increased rapidly after the war, from 162 in 1918 to 280 in 1923, meaning new accommodation was required.

“A good deal was to be seen of school work and dramatic effort throughout the school premises. There was an elaborate exhibition of drawing and woodwork and the like. The choir sang songs in Latin and French as well as in English. The Laboratories were fitted up to exhibit a variety of scientific apparatus, and a number of practical or imitative effects were devised, such as the miniature reproduction of a mirage in the desert, where the pyramids were seen reflected in water which was never there.”

KGS has also managed to acquire a delightful 19th Century document for the archive. I look forward to sharing this with you in the next KGS Friends newsletter.

Joanne Halford Archivist archives@kgs.org.uk

The block comprised a physics laboratory and two classrooms.

A few years later, rooms were added above the new block and the hall was built, so that by 1927 the quad appeared much as it does today.

Canon Barnes was an interesting figure - a Fellow of the Royal Society, who gave up his career in mathematics at Cambridge University in order to pursue his vocation in the church. At the time of his visit he was the Canon of Westminster Abbey. Later that year, he was made Bishop of Birmingham.

An account of the ceremony and celebrations appeared in the July 1924 issue of The Kingstonian:

“In honour of the opening of the new buildings… the School was ‘At Home’ to parents and friends. The actual ceremony K G S F r ie nd s

July 2017

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Kids’ Lit Quiz Team Third in World Final

School News

Four KGS students – first former Katie Monaghan and second formers Tomas Caldon, Freddie Pflanz and Hal Purton spent the last week of term in Toronto, Canada, representing the UK in the World Final of the Kids’ Lit Quiz 2017.

KGS took on the national champions of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the USA in a tense competition for the world crown on Monday 3rd July. In fifth place going into the last round, the KGS team kept their nerve to power to a podium finish and the glory of the bronze medal position.

The team could then relax and enjoy their week, exploring Canada’s great outdoors, meeting authors and celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday. A highlight of the week was a Gala Dinner in celebration of young readers at the historic Palais Royale on July 4th.

To come third in the world is a tremendous achievement for the young team and all of us at home watching the live streaming of the final were caught up in the thrilling denouement. Our congratulations to them all. KGS is very proud of them.

KGS at the Edinburgh Fringe Returning to the Fringe after their well-received production of Female Transport, KGS Theatre Company are performing Joseph K by Tom Basden.

This darkly comic play, first performed in 2010 at the Gate Theatre, is inspired by Kafka’s The Trial, rather than being a direct adaptation of it, relocating the novel to 21st century London. Tapping into the zeitgeist of personal liberty, justice and control, the play questions the meaning of freedom in the present political climate.

Contact KGS Friends friends@kgs.org.uk 020 8939 8859 @KGS _ friends 12