Drama at Southborough!

Year 9-11 students thoroughly enjoy ‘Hamilton’ at the Victoria Palace Theatre!

We all know that seeing a live show at the theatre can improve empathy, emotional intelligence and imagination, while also providing benefits like improved concentration, a break from screens and opportunities for social connection. But most of all, the shared live experience can be LOADS OF FUN and create lasting memories!

Last Friday, a group of our Year 9-11 students were lucky enough to travel up to London's West End to watch 'Hamilton' at the Victoria Palace Theatre. And they loved every minute of the show!!!!

Visiting the theatre to see a live show is clearly a great experience -and the Drama department here at Southborough has several shows booked over the coming months for our boys to look forward to and enjoy. But this is just one of a number of options the drama department like to organise to give our boys a well-rounded experience of the subject.

Why is Drama so important?

Studying drama is important in secondary school because it develops crucial life skills like communication, creativity, confidence, and teamwork, while also enhancing academic performance in other subjects by promoting empathy and critical thinking. It provides a unique space for students to express themselves, explore different perspectives, and understand the world around them in a more meaningful way.

Other enriching activities on the horizon

Back in September, students took part in a Technical Skills Workshop at the Criterion Theatre. They were exposed to the multi-faceted world of producing a live performance and gained first hand experience into the many roles this entails, including lighting, sound, props, costume and much more. Later on in the year, they will get the chance to take part in our very own school production – namely ‘The Wizard of Nodnol’ (inspired by the Classic Novel The Wizard of Oz!). Whilst initial auditions took place earlier this month, there are still openings available for students to apply for.

In the meantime, next month students will have the chance to visit the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in London. Students will go behind-the-scenes and explore authentic sets (including the Great Hall, Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley), iconic props (including those from the Potions Classroom and Memory Cabinet) and original costumes from the Harry Potter films. They will also discover how the special and visual effects teams made Harry and his friends fly and learn how magical creatures were brought to life on screen. They will also visit the art department and --from technical drawings to scale models – learn how their favourite sets were created!

Lastly, the Drama department also offers a fun weekly after school Drama club on Wednesdays  (Years 7, 8 and 9) and an after school LAMDA club (timings TBC) offering fun  workshops designed to prepare students for a public speaking exam where they are awarded a grade. Students can do this right up to grade 8.

To summarise, Drama at Southborough is enriching, broad and fun and promotes many academic, personal and social benefits for our students -so watch this space to find more about the exciting activities on offer!