Spotlight - Edition 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE An exclusive interview with the marvellous Miss Gibbs about her time at NLCS. Our resident stage manager spills the secrets about the ins and outs of what goes on backstage at the PAC. Hear from the fantastic Canons Park FC manager about their recent production of Crouch End to Brisbane!

AND MUCH MORE...

EDITOR'S NOTE Welcome to the third edition of 'Spotlight' - NLCS's performing arts newsletter. I'm Tammy, chair of Performing Arts Society. Theatre and the arts in general mean so much to so many people across the whole of the school and I think it's safe to say that anyone who has been in an NLCS production will agree that being part of a cast is one of the most amazing things. You meet so many new, like-minded people, have so much fun, and become like a family. Hence why I've put together this magazine, to help bring you your theatre fix.

This term has been such a busy one for everyone across the school. With A-Levels, GCSEs and End-of-Years, how could there possibly have been time for theatre? But, fear not! NLCS's Drama department has still been as active as ever. With the Black Studio having slowly transformed into a women's football changing room, 'Crouch End to Brisbane' rehearsals came to a close, culminating in a fantastic production on Monday and Tuesday evening.

Congratulations to the incredible team, and Mr Hennelly, their manager. Performing Arts Society have continued to bring chaos and theatre fun to your week with more Scripts and Snacks sessions, as well as an improv workshop in the Summer Festival. Plus, shout out to this year's Year 12 Canons Follies show - we hope you enjoyed watching it as much as we loved performing in it!

We have loved being your Performing Arts Society this term, and getting this society back on its feet. We cannot wait for even more drama, fun and laughter with even more of you next year!!!

And finally, on behalf of Performing Arts Society, the Drama students, the Drama department and the whole school, I would like to say a massive thank you to Miss Gibbs for everything she has done for the school and wish her all the best in all her future endeavours.

NOTICES Scripts and Snacks Scripts and Snacks continues next year, bigger and better! Look out for announcements about events we are planning and let us know of any ideas you have!

Thank You! A huge thank you to Miss Gibbs for all her work as Director of Drama and Head of Pastoral at NLCS. Though we wish her the very best for the future, we will all miss her so much, and the Drama department simply will not be the same without her!

Follow us on instagram for updates, reels and photos! @nlcs.pa.soc https://instagram.com/nlcs.pa.soc?igshid=ZjE2NGZiNDQ=

DESERT ISLAND SHOWS: MISS GIBBS Miss Gibbs tells us about her favourite shows, songs and characters and why they have a special place in her heart.

My 3 favourite shows: 1) 'Closer' by Patrick Marber at the National Theatre.

2) 'Retrograde' by Ryan Calais Cameron in 2023.

3) 'Guys and Dolls'.

The first was at the National Theatre in 1982. I was very young and I queued to stand at the back. The second is at the Bridge Theatre 2023.

The show at the top of my theatre bucket list: I would like to go back in time to see Richard Burton play Hamlet on Broadway in 1964!

My favourite musical theatre song: Very difficult to decide! 'What I Did For Love' - A Chorus Line The character from any show that I'd most like to play: Rose from 'Gypsy' and Cleopatra from 'Antony and Cleopatra'.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MISS GIBBS Can you tell me about your NLCS journey?

This is the 3rd school I’ve worked in. I worked in a state school for 16 years called Hampton High as Head of Drama and also did some pastoral work there. Then, I moved to John Lyon’s School as Director of Drama and Head of Sixth Form. I started here as Director of Drama 13 years ago. Previously, I was able to juggle both roles, but here I had to decide on the pastoral path around pandemic time. It seemed like a good time to make that jump.

Do you prefer the role of Head of Pastoral or Director of Drama?

It’s difficult to compare them. The thing about Drama is that you see the fruits of your work very quickly. It’s there in front of you. You can see in a lesson people making huge progress. And I used to love the practical work. But with pastoral work, you see what comes from it further along the line. If I think about myself as a person… in primary school, every afternoon, I would go to the drama room, which was like an attic room full of costumes. I wrote plays, and then directed and starred in them! Also, I used to teach everyone dances. I remember being at the front of the playground with the whole school tap-dancing behind me. Friends from school still talk about that. One of them remembers the routine! I think that world was what I was born to do.

Do you have a favourite musical that you directed at NLCS? There were different shows for different reasons. Sister Act, my final musical with Mr Haigh, remains a favourite. Everything just fell into place. It was happy and enjoyable all the way through – so uplifting and fun. Everybody loved it. Before that, West Side Story, because it’s such a challenging musical and I loved it as a piece of theatre.

And what was your favourite play at NLCS? We did ‘Hey, Big Spender’ – it was so classy! When we did ‘Earthquakes in London’, we ripped up the PAC! We took seats out from the raked seating and put a false floor in. It was much higher and you kind of walked onto it. It was a traverse, but like a snake weaving around with platform stages on either side. A challenge, but it was incredible. And, we made an earthquake by putting massive speakers under the traverse! I remember the bursar going, ‘We just built this PAC and you’ve ripped it apart!’ We really had transformed it, which I loved.

And then I wrote ‘Community’ with a fusion of technology. We flew in a drone and had an app for people to vote on the ending. Also, we did ‘Revengers’ Comedies’. It was in two parts with two different casts. So, we really did two plays! And we had a huge bridge that was lowered down. Plus, the Physical Theatre Evening that we did every year, and going to Edinburgh. So, there are lots of things I’m really proud of!

Are there any shows you wanted to do but didn’t get a chance to?

Cabaret - just didn’t get around to it. It had been done here before I arrived, and then it wasn’t available, and then the time had just gone. But I would have loved to do that. Or ‘Enron’. That would have been a really interesting play. So, I suppose those are my two biggies.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MISS GIBBS (cont.)

Would you rather go and see a play or a musical?

Well, I do love both. But I love to find a new play with fantastic acting that otherwise you wouldn’t see. Although you can get that with a musical… well, now I’m thinking… it’s just that people think I don’t go to the theatre to see anything other than musicals, so I guess I try and stress that I do!

Did you prefer directing shows or teaching lessons?

My starting point is thinking about lessons because you want to inspire students to do the extra stuff. You want to really inspire your younger students to do the productions. But I wouldn’t say I prefer one or the other. I was always really conscious that I was privileged to do the extra work. I know it’s part of the job, but I’m conscious that other departments don’t get to just show their work to huge audiences so people can see how great it is. I’ve always been quiet around the school about it because it’s a real joy to be able to do that. And in such a lovely theatre! So, I can’t separate them - I think they go hand in hand.

Are there any specific devising performances that stick out for you?

Well, yours! (current Year 12) It was fantastic and really interesting with the historical context and the relevance to an audience today. It worked beautifully. The depth and maturity of your performances - it will certainly stay in my mind. There was one a while ago… the stimulus was a novel, ‘The Circle’. It was an interesting piece about social media and technology. They used some very interesting physical theatre to stress those difficult concepts.

What are you going to miss most about teaching at NLCS? Just being in the drama context, working with people who are so talented, but willing to try new things and take risks. That’s the main thing.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m officially retiring but I’ll teach a bit of drama, just not full-time. Also, I think there’s a gap for a book about devising theatre. And I'd like to write a play. Whenever I’ve written anything, it’s been for students. I’d like to just write... a play. Maybe learn a language. I speak a bit of Turkish, but maybe developing that. Just something that’s different, using my brain a bit. Like how I play Nerdle with Mr Galton! So, something different. Like I said in my assembly, the word ‘retire’ makes you feel ancient. But all those people, as they got older, did their best work. So, I hope I'll do something that I can feel proud of in the future as well.

Any final words of wisdom?

Just realising how special you all are. In a wonderful school where there are so many wonderful things, we can lose sight of how wonderful we are as individuals. I always really believed in Mrs McCabe’s ethos about finding your passions and running with them. You can do whatever you want, so believe in those things.

And go to the theatre! Just always remember the wonderful things around us and never take those for granted. Use those. Enjoy those.

DIRECTOR'S REVIEW: Crouch End to Brisbane Over two evenings on 3rd and 4th July, seventeen Year 9 and 10 students delighted audiences with their performances in a brand new, original play 'Crouch End to Brisbane'. Inspired by England’s Lionesses, I wrote this play which tells the story of women's football, from the very first game to the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The play cleverly took the audience behind the grandstands, as the Black Drama Studio was transformed into the team’s locker room for an immersive audience experience. With a thought-provoking blend of comedy and drama, the ensemble piece enabled students to test their performance mettle as the whole cast remained on stage for the entire duration of the play.

The actors were ably supported by fellow students from the technical team with the help of Theatre Technician, Mr Adams, whose projections made innovative use of the expanse of the NLCS pitches with exciting aerial footage using a drone. It was a fantastic production that brought the trials and triumphs of women’s role in the ‘beautiful game’ to life.

It was a joy to be able to direct this production. The cast worked superbly to bring a wide range of characters and stories to life with a very short rehearsal time. They should all be very proud of their achievements. It was the perfect way to end my first year at NLCS, and I wish all students a happy and peaceful summer! - Mr Hennelly

SCRIPTS AND SNACKS This half term has been so busy with everyone's A-Levels, GCSEs and end of years, but we have still managed to gather for one final Scripts and Snacks session.

This time, with plenty of snacks provided by the wonderful Mr Hennelly, we abandoned the scripts for improv! We watched some of the videos from the hilarious 'Shoot From the Hip' theatre company and, with this inspiration, took to the stage to try out some of their crazy improv games. We took turns acting and being the games master, shouting 'freeze!' and absurd instructions, which made for hilarious scenes and a really fun atmosphere.

The favourite quickly became the game 'Change', where two actors start a scene from a prompt from the audience, and the games master can, whenever they want, shout 'change' and the actor has to change what they just said or did to something completely different.

We also played 'Genre', which involves the actors performing a scene based on a genre of theatre from the audience and at any time someone can shout out a new genre and the actors have to shift the storyline to continue the scene in that style (including romcom, soap opera, GCSE drama and even Love Island)!

The most challenging game was 'Books', where three actors take to the stage. Two can only say lines out of a book in their hand and, therefore, the third has to try and turn the scene to get it to make sense!

If you missed out on this session, though, don't worry! We will be doing much more improv, alongside so much more, next year! We hope to see you all there!

BEHIND THE SCENES: Stage Manager For the past two years I have stage managed a variety of different shows including Treasure Island and Legally Blonde and loved every moment. Stage management encompasses a lot of different jobs from fitting actors with mics and checking their battery, to moving set and keeping props organised. If there is a prop, you can be sure it is on the props table with a tape box around it and a label. For bigger shows with many stage managers such as Legally Blonde, we often have sit-down sessions to divide tasks so that we can get pieces of set on and off stage at the right time, as well as cover mic changes. Like the rest of the tech team, we wear black to be seen as little as possible when working in the shadows.

Like any job there are difficulties involved. When actors leave props in their costume pocket and forget, it is up to the stage manager to find them. Tech rehearsal weeks are vital for the entire tech team and for stage managers it gives us a chance to figure out when we need to be where to do what, solidifying our routine for the show. Often, we are most busy during scene changes, however there was a fight scene in Treasure Island where I had to throw feather dusters and swords to a few actors on stage. There is never a still moment as a stage manager.

During Treasure Island my first moment to sit down and get a drink was halfway through Act Two as I had to reset the stage and props during the interval.

My favourite part of stage management is the variety of activities. We move around backstage and every show brings new tasks. Interacting with actors over mics and props can also be really rewarding and helps actors see how much work the tech team puts into every show. As an organised person, I really enjoy keeping track of all the props and sets throughout the show and having that overview of the entire performance from the technical perspective. I also love being in the midst of everything backstage with the near constant movement of people and stuff. It’s like trying finding peace in the eye of a hurricane.

I’ve had some really great experiences as stage manager. Learning all the ropes while doing Treasure Island was so much fun. Aside from the usual responsibilities as a stage manager I got to hike the flags up and down in different scenes. One actor watched me do it before the bows and said “oh, you really know all the techie stuff” which was a huge boost. The hectic exchanging of props in busy scenes was also a lot of fun, if stressful. There is always some mishap during a performance and often it is up to the stage managers to keep everything under control – like in George and the Dragon when one stage manager was ill and we had to get other techies to cover the responsibilities. We ended up with two new techies in the dragon puppet but overall, it was still a resounding success.

In all, I’ve done five shows in the past two years, and when a show goes well, all the stress is worth it for the sense of achievement and success. - Olivia

SYMPOSIUM: Costume Sustainability Artists and performers have a unique responsibility to use their creative talents not only to entertain but also inspire positive change in society. Sustainable fashion has gained significant momentum in recent years, and it is time for the performing arts to embrace this movement.

You can tell a lot about a character from their costume, and they help evoke emotions and bring characters to life. However, the creation of costumes comes at a cost to the environment and the people who make them. Due to the extraction of raw materials in the manufacturing process, traditional production methods contribute to the pollution, waste and depletion of natural resources.

Fast fashion is an issue. Workers work for a long time, trying to provide for their families. They sent remittances home to try and give them the best opportunities possible. However, this comes at a risk.

Additionally to the poor conditions, workers do not get paid enough.

But imagine a future where we can combine our passion for the performing arts with a commitment to sustainable practices. A future where costumes are not only visually stunning but also environmentally friendly, ethically sourced, and durable. Such a future is within our grasp, and it is our duty to embrace it. We must prioritize the use of eco-friendly materials in costume design. Traditional fabrics, such as polyester and nylon, are derived from non-renewable resources and release harmful pollutants during production. Instead, we can explore alternatives like organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, or recycled materials. These options reduce our carbon footprint, conserve water, and minimize waste.

However, there is an ethical battle. It is hard to manage this situation, there is not much income made in this industry anymore. There will be sacrifices made as to where money is invested.

Actors still need to be paid, and making costumes in a sustainable, ethical way costs a lot more.

Yet, we must reconsider our approach to costume construction. Fast fashion mentality has led to a culture of disposable clothing, with costumes discarded after just a few performances. We can create costumes that are built to last. This means using quality craftsmanship and durable stitching. In doing so, we reduce the demand for new costumes, minimize waste, and save valuable resources.

Moreover, we need to embrace upcycling. Instead of discarding costumes, we can repurpose them for future productions. This also adds a unique touch to performances, as repurposed costumes bring with them the stories and history of previous shows. - Aaliyah

COMING SOON PRODUCTIONS NEXT YEAR Senior School Production Keep an eye on your inboxes at the start of next year for information from Miss May about next year's Senior School Play!

Student-Led Play Imani, year 11, is going to be directing the next Sixth Form student-led production in the Autumn Term! She'll be sending out more information in the first week back!

EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES Musical Theatre Evening We can't wait to bring back the infamous Musical Theatre Evening as a charity fundraiser, originally produced and directed by Miss Gibbs! More information to come next year!

Christmas Panto It's behind you! PA Soc is taking charge of next year's sixth-form Christmas Panto (oh, yes we are), putting a sprinkle of NLCS magic into one of your favourite fairy-tales!