Arts Drama: The College Play was ‘The
International Inspector’, an adaptation of Gogol’s ‘The Government Inspector,’ by RM Lowe, who also directed. The company was brilliantly led by Tom von Simson (Pinewood, d) and Toby Bevan (Ludgrove, k) as the Governor and the supposed Inspector. The 6.1 play was a moving production of ‘Journey’s End’, marking the start of Radley’s commemoration of the First World War: led by Finn Salter (Summer Fields, d), who was then accepted into the National Youth Theatre. The Remove Play was ‘Red Noses’ directed by TA Barfield, a comic, absurd look at the Plague years. Theatre Studies exam pieces this year included a trio of diverse devised pieces from 6.2: a comedy set in a radio station; an absurd piece of theatre, and an adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde. The 6.1 exam performance was a fine production of ‘Another Country’; this was followed by the Shell Play, ‘The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew’, directed by DCK Edwards, with a strong young cast thoroughly enjoying themselves. Music: The Chamber Choir toured Ely
and Cambridge and the full Chapel Choir also performed at Salisbury Cathedral. One of the highlights of the year was undoubtedly the production of Benjamin Britten’s ‘Noye’s Fludde’, featuring a huge cast, including children from a number of local schools, a recorder choir, a vast percussion section, and Remove campanologists. The Lent Term Concerto Concert saw performances of Telemann by Daniel Shackleton (St Birinus, f); Shostakovich by Dominic Baum (New College, a); Mozart by Ignacio Urzaiz (Summer Fields, f); Elgar by Edward Walker (Ludgrove, h); and the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, divided between Charles Saunders (Woodleigh, h), Hugh Gordon (Winchester House, c), and Benjamin Rees (Moor Park, a). William Dodd (Westbourne House, d) conducted Barber’s famous Adagio for Strings. There was also a programme of baroque choral music in Chapel, including the Vivaldi Gloria. A Michael Jackson medley won the InterSocial Partsong for H Social. Badlands won the ‘Battle of the Bands’, in which competition Lorenzo Edwards-Jones (Woodcote House, b) took the honours for best instrumentalist, and Hector McDonald (Cothill, h) scooped the ‘best composition’ prize. James Swash (New College, e) won the Ferguson Singing Prize. Will Dodd (Westbourne
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THE RADLEY NEWSLET TER
House, d) took the Hudson String Prize. Nick Bennett (Horris Hill, j) won the Woodwind class of the Gunn Cup, whilst Charles Saunders (Woodleigh, h) topped the brass category. Sam Ringer (Winchester House, b), Otto Burney (Cothill, b) and Lorenzo EdwardsJones (Woodcote House, b) won the classical, acoustic and electric sections of the guitar competition respectively. William Dodd (Westbourne House, d) won the Wharton Piano Prize. SDJC has had a new composition included in the ABRSM Grade One piano syllabus. AJOH has performed and been broadcast internationally. SLN continues to perform with the Choros choir.
Sport Rugby: The Rugby Club fielded 23 teams
and won 60% of its matches. The 1st XV was captained by Tom West (Old Buckenham Hall, f), assisted by vice-captain Tom Stanley (Dragon, b). Tom West (Old Buckenham Hall, f) and Will Stuart (Farleigh, d) both played for the Wasps Academy team and signed professional contracts with Wasps. Elsewhere, the four Colts teams proved exceptionally strong, with Colts 2, 3 and 4th XVs remaining unbeaten.
Art: 2014 saw the opening of the
long-awaited new Sewell Centre Gallery and reconfigured studios, lecture room and Art History library. This was officially opened by British painter, Jenny Saville, at the Private View of an exhibition of work by Old Radleians, including Hamish Mackie (1987, f), Rupert Till (1982, b), Charlie Langton (1996, g) and Charles Mackesy (1976, e). BBC Arts critic Will Gompertz visited the new Gallery and gave an inspiring Sixth Form lecture on what Art means to him: generously donating his lecture fee to The Art Room, an Oxford-based charity. The exhibitions programme included a mixed media Christmas show, featuring local artists. The spring saw the gallery’s first touring show from the Hayward Gallery of prints by Eduardo Paolozzi . The final show, by the Oxford Arts Society, was dedicated to former OAS artist and Radley Council member, Sir Patrick Nairne. His son Andrew, Director of Kettle’s Yard and an Old Radleian, spoke movingly at the opening of this exhibition about his artistic education at Radley and career in the arts. Another innovation was the introduction of a changing ‘Four Plinth’ sculpture. ‘Breaking Point’ by Scottish artist Kevin Dagg, lent to the gallery for six months by arrangement with Radley parent and art dealer, Jeremy Wiltshire. The Art Department enjoyed a successful GCSE trip to Florence, where Radleians were introduced to the giants of Renaissance art. There were also trips to the Ashmolean to see the Francis Bacon and Henry Moore show and to Compton Verney, to see an exhibition of Rodin and Moore.
Rowing:
A coxed four from the 1st VIII won the Reading Head, came second in the Fours’ Head and finished 7th out of 85 crews in the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, USA. The 1st Eight won the Head of the Trent and finished third in the Schools’ Head. They also won the Nottingham City Regatta, Metropolitan Regatta and reached the quarter finals at Henley. Charlie Elwes (Cothill, j) won a silver medal at the World Junior Rowing Championships in Hamburg,