L5 Drama Pupils Perform an Array of Plays!

May 8, 2025

On Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8  May, L5 Drama pupils presented four fantastically different plays that each group had been working on over the Lent term.


On the Wednesday the evening kicked off with ‘Confusions’ by Alan Aykbourn, from which we saw two of the original five one-act plays; Gosforth’s Fete and A Talk In The Park. The plays were vastly different from one another yet were linked by the common themes of loneliness and relationships. The cast performed the subtleties of the everyday characters with great care and attention to detail, with fantastic comic timing.


This was followed by ‘Bright Young Things’ by Georgie Christon. The play was set around a television talent show where young contestants competed to be the brightest young thing. As the play progressed the audience learnt more about each contestant, showing moments of real depth as well as humor, over the top characters and theatricality. The cast created a well-crafted journey for the audience with their multi-rolling and portrayal of different and big characters.


On Thursday the night began with ‘Jump For Your Life’ by Ken Whitmore. The play saw young Frederick played by Tom Booth, and his troupe of makeshift actors trying to convince us, the audience, to jump in the air in 30 minutes time. The cast multi-rolled throughout and delivered a highly convincing performance filled with breaking the fourth wall, direct address, over the top characters and comedy, which resulted in the audience all jumping in the air!


The night ended with A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd. The play told the story of Connor, played by Joseph Ladbrooke, a boy who is visited by a monster in the form of a Yew tree when his mother is dying of cancer. The cast used physical theatre, multi-rolling and strong characterisation to move the audience swiftly through every setting and experience as well as embracing the use of lighting and sound to bring this vivid theatrical experience to The Blake Studio.


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On Saturday 14 June, Head of Sports Science, Cate Norton took part in the Norfolk Superheroes Challenge, a charity quadrathlon event which is held once a year in June which includes - swimming (1 mile), kayaking (4 miles), cycling (45 miles) and running (8 miles). Cate completed this in a brilliant 6 hours and 8 minutes and raised £1,455 for Norfolk Community Foundation's A Better Childhood. A Better Childhood invests in local communities, supporting parents in providing stable and nurturing environments. When asked about the challenge, Cate Norton said - "Really proud to have finished the Norfolk Superhero Challenge on Saturday 14 June. It was a super hot day, but the support of my family and the crowd kept us going. Thanks to everyone for their support and donations." Find out more about the challenge here!
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