A Midsummer Night’s Dream…virtually!

2020 was the year we decided that Claremont Senior School would have their first ever Junior Production. We would invite lots of local Prep and Primary School students to see our production and to experience a workshop with the cast, but alas Covid-19 came along and it seemed all the rehearsals and planning had been in vain. But you cannot scupper Claremont Drama students that easily; within a few weeks of lockdown, the radio edit of A Midsummer Night’s Dream had been cut and crafted by LAMDA teacher Claire Waller and the whole cast was on board for after school Google Meet rehearsals. The whole team showed such flexibility with the rehearsal process – acting to a screen, awaiting WiFi delayed responses and competing with the sound of next door’s hedge trimmer, was no mean feat.

At the end of June, Natasha Smith, our new Head of Music alongside Claire Waller spent the day recording and re-recording the play with the 20 plus students involved. Ms Smith had also tasked two pre A-level students with composing original music for the play – which they managed with great skill and understanding of the piece. Then began the editing process, Ms Smith used her expertise in this field to put together a wonderful radio version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’- our first ever Junior Production. Whilst this was happening, an activity pack was written by the Performing Arts team – something fun for our audiences to do when listening to the play, something to enhance their understanding, and way of introducing Shakespeare that felt accessible to all.

We hope all our Primary and Prep Schools are enjoying our Junior radio play and the workpack. We look forward to being able to have a Junior Production and workshop in 2021, with a ‘live’ audience!!

Sarah Cakebread – Head of Drama