A midsummer Night's Dream at Castle Bottom!

Two creative year 11 students, Joanne Archer and Emma Beetschen, collaborated on a stunning video, re-creating “Titania’s Lullaby” from Shakespeare’s mystical play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Emma worked on the music, using an array of instruments including a piano, a flute, a guitar and “any other instruments [she] could lay her hands on”. Joanne edited the final piece together, and both tried their hand at a spot of filming! The whole experience for the students was “very fun, and gave a different concept of the poem in the play.” It appears that through the wonderful mediums of filming, editing, and music the work of Shakespeare can be brilliantly performed and truly ‘teaches the soul to fly!’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oCpD-19WK4&feature=plcp

Puppet Craft visit Yateley School!

On Saturday 17th November 'Puppet Craft' are coming to Yateley School Drama Studio to perform their popular show 'Circle of Tales'. Although aimed at a slightly younger audience it is guarenteed to be enjoyed by people of ALL ages! This show is truly wonderful and all of the puppets are made by the team! If you are interested in seeing the show or have younger brothers or sisters that you think will enjoy it, please tell them about it too! You can pick up a leaflet at school reception also!

 

Art News: Turner Prize 2012, your opinions.

'Odd Man Out' (2011) by Spartacus Chetwynd

Image from: http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/turner-prize-2012?gclid=CPi3jeS557ICFSTHtAodkTYAng

As the artist's for this year's prestigious 'Turner Prize' are revealed we are looking for your opinions. What do you like, what don't you like, and why?

The Turner Prize started in 1984 and has since become the U.K's most publicised art award. It is associated mainly with 'conceptual art' although it has seen winners across many diciplines over the years. Check out this year's selection and let us know what you think! We will publish your comments on the blog!

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/turner-prize-2012?gclid=CPi3jeS557ICFSTHtAodkTYAng



NEW! Music Tech Club

Tech Crew Wanted

TECH CREW WANTED!

Do you want to learn about lighting and sound and want to be part of a professional, hardworking team?

Why not join our 'Tech Club'? We meet every Friday lunchtime in DS1 -all welcome.

As a part of the team you will gain experience working on great events such as: main school production, summer concert, rock challenge, christmas concert, school prom, house events and much more!

If you are interested why not come along? If you would like more information please email artsblog@yateley.hants.sch.uk or speak to Mr Davies.

FAME! Cast list now available!

Did you audition for FAME? The cast list is now available on the 'Performers' tab, click HERE to see if you have got a part in next year's main school production.

A quick note from Miss Tottman:
'If you did not get a lead part please look at the 'Chorus' list. If you did not get a part at all please do not be disheartened. We had 152 people audition and only 55 parts. I was VERY impressed with the high standards of singing, acting and dancing this year and it was really hard to decide who to cast. If you would like feedback on your audition please feel free to ask me'

URGENT!!
ALL leads and chorus must attend a meeting this Thursday (4th October) in DS1 at lunchtime. If you do not attend your place in the cast will be questioned.

If you have changed your mind about being in the show please speak to Miss Tottman asap.


Well done everyone!

'All the world's a stage'

“An honour and a triumph” it was for a group of Yateley students and Sixth formers who won the chance to perform the opening scenes of the bard’s “The Merchant of Venice” at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon on July 3^rd.

A few months before the monumental performance these students volunteered their time and efforts to take part in the World Shakespeare Festival, even though some had little or no experience in theatre and acting. Nevertheless the one thing that bound all the students together was their great love for the work of one William Shakespeare - a chap you may have heard of!  The Festival brought together schools from all over the UK, to perform allocated scenes, with children of all ages. These schools performed and competed together in regional performances and a vast amount of talent and hard work was displayed (especially as the task of learning the classic lines of Shakespeare is no simple task!). But only a small proportion of the many schools that performed were lucky enough to be selected to perform their scenes at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-and we were one of them!

So on the day of the performance, the cast, their parents, and quite notably the head teacher, Mr.Jackman, got aboard the coach up to Stratford and prepared themselves for a day of rehearsals, fun, and frolics until it came to performance time. Phillip Oakley, who played the part of Lorenzo, stated that “When we went inside we saw that the stage was massive! We’d all seen pictures of it before…but when you actually stand on it, it’s huge! On top of that there was 1,000 seats surrounding the stage, going up 3 levels…as you can imagine it was no pressure at all!” Despite the haywire nerves, excitement and a slight mishap with an apparent non-removable head-dress on Portia (which was fortunately ignored!) the performance was truly spectacular, and one that the students and teachers involved will surely never forget for many years to come. After all, how many people can say that they performed with the guidance of the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre so early in life?  

A huge thank you and congratulations goes to the teachers who directed Yateley’s scene and the play, notably Mrs Hearn of the English department and Mrs Crutchley of the Drama department.

And in the words of the bard himself “All’s well that ends well”

***

PHILIP OAKLEY played Lorenzo

‘It was an amazing experience to perform on stage at Stratford, even more so because I have almost no drama background. I’m just an English A-level student who likes Shakespeare’s works and wanted to achieve something worthwhile in my AS year. Over the months we’d practised the scene, over and over again, the group of us had bonded well. By the time of our performance, we knew the lines and what we had to do; it was just a matter of actually going on the stage and doing it!

We did technical rehearsals on the stage first. Despite seating 1,000 people, we didn’t need microphones; the RST is designed in such a fashion that the acoustics can be heard wherever you are sitting. I knew from previous performances that the stage lighting is done in such a way that you can’t see anyone past the first or second row of seats, but even so: it’s still a huge amount of people watching you.

The play is brilliant to perform because it’s so gripping. Although I only had a small part, I fully appreciated this chance – it will remain as a very fond memory for the rest of my life. I doubt I’ll have the chance to be so fortunate and perform on stage to an audience as big as that ever again.

I thank the teachers who directed the scene and the play, notably Mrs Hearn of the English department, and Mrs Crutchley of the Drama department.’

Piece written by Michelle Archer.