On Wednesday 3 April, 68 students in Years 7 – 12 from Catmose College and Harington School competed at the 101^st Oundle Festival of Music and Drama. This is held in the Queen Victoria Hall in Oundle on a Proscenium arch raked stage. The students spent the day in the Queen Victoria Hall performing in the different classes; ‘Solo acting’, ‘Duologues’ and ‘Creative Performance’. Each performance was adjudicated by Stephen Owen, an examiner for LAMDA and an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals.

There were twenty different entries in the KS3 Duologue class and Catmose were awarded all of the places, coming 1^st, 2^ndand 3^rd. Following their success from the year before Etta and Bay were awarded first place for their stunning performance of an extract from the play ‘Noughts and Crosses’. The realism portrayed through their acting was amazing. In joint second place were Archie and Tom performing ‘Imaginary you’ and Hannah and Emilia with the play ‘Fault’. This was the same play that Meredith Dolecki and Eve Sloan also achieved third place. With them, joint third place were Patrick and Harry with their sophisticated version of Sherlock Holmes in the ‘Hounds of the Baskervilles’. This Duologue class was of a very high standard and extremely close in the marking, with several performers being awarded just one mark difference between placings.

In the KS3 Solo Acting class Ned’s confidence and excellent portrayal of a kitchen boy won him first place for his performance of ‘In Portia’s Kitchen’. Tom came in second and Florence third place for their strong and engaging monologues.

The KS3 Creative Performance (based on a play from Shakespeare) was a new class that we decided to enter this year. We chose the play of The Tempest, bringing some ideas from our Curve performance in November, but with a whole new cast of 21 Year 7 students (Catmose College Juniors). Students rehearsed weekly to put the 8 minute performance together and they were awarded first place for their dynamic portrayal of Shakespeare, working incredibly well as an ensemble. In the same class were also Year 9 students (from a different school) who they were also able to beat. These students were also awarded the Evans Cup for the highest mark between their class and a Sixth form class.

The students performing in the KS4 Duologue class kept up the Catmose success with a first place for Verity and Katie performing ‘Split down the middle’. In second place Mollie and Flo brought comedy to the stage with an extract of a scene from the TV series Miranda ‘Allure’. In joint third place were 3 pairs of students; Isabelle and Elsie-Rose (Great Expectations), Lydia & Ellie (The Postman always rings twice), Alisha & Katie (Eight Cousins). Katie ended up performing two different scripts, gaining herself a first and third place in this class.

For the second year running Jack won the KS4 Solo Acting class, this time with an accomplished performance of an extract from ‘Rozencrantz and Guildenstern’. Having gained 89% he was also awarded the Frieda Hodgson cup for achieving the highest mark between his class and a Sixth form class. Chloe was awarded second place for ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ and in joint third place came Saskia (How green is my valley) and Edward (Le Grand Meaulnes).

All of the students were awarded a certificate for taking part as well as their judging notes from the adjudicator. First place winners were each given a medal. Well done to all of the students who took part. We look forward to returning next year.

RESULTS

KS3 Duologue

1^stPlace:           Etta & Bay

=2^ndPlace:      Archie & Tom / Hannah & Emilia

=3^rdPlace:      Patrick  & Harry / Meredith & Eve

KS3 Solo Acting

1^stPlace:        Ned

2^ndPlace:       Tom

3^rdPlace:        Florence

KS3 Creative Performance (based on Shakespeare – Tempest)

1^stPlace: Catmose College Juniors: Florence, Tom, Sophie, Sophie, Mara, Lucy, Jacob, Charlotte, Rhiannon, Ned, Evie, Gracie, Isaac, Holly, Ciara, Lizzie, Hannah, Emilia, Hannah, Matthew and Selina

KS4 Duologue

1^stPlace:        Verity & Katie

2^ndPlace:       Mollie & Flo

= 3^rdPlace:     Isabelle & Elsie-Rose / Lydia & Ellie / Alisha & Katie

KS4 Solo Acting

1^st Place:        Jack

2^ndPlace:       Chloe

=3^rdPlace:      Saskia / Edward

KS5 Duologue

1^stPlace:         Janie-Lea & Alicia

Other students who performed in the solo acting or duologue classes were: Elorm, Ben, Tom, Joel, Henry, Natasha, Harrison, Florence, Isaac, Monica, Lydia, Cecilly, Lily, Chloe, Jessica, Matthew, Anwen & Jessica.