Private School News

Student actresses scoop five trophies at the Maidenhead Drama Festival

Student actresses scoop five trophies at the Maidenhead Drama Festival and qualify for the All England Theatre Festival

Eleven students from the Marist Senior School have won five awards at the Maidenhead Drama Festival, which took place recently at the Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead.

The Year 12 students used both naturalistic and abstract styles in performing the drama ‘A Memory of Lizzie’ by David Foxton which explores the story of Lizzie Borden who was tried for the murder of her father and stepmother during the late 1800s. Although Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murder, she was believed by the majority of society to be guilty of the crime and her story has since become an infamous legend. The all female cast unwound the dark story of Lizzie through their focused and realistic portrayal of a range of characters from taunting playground children to adult witnesses relaying disturbing evidence during Borden’s trial.

The girls won the Maidenhead Youth Drama trophy for best performance in the under 21 age group, the Aubrey Harding trophy for best short play, the Frank Richard’s Cup and the Maidenhead Advertiser trophy. To cap all of these successes, the girls were delighted to hear that they had also won the Walter Rivers Cup plus the Roy Bates Memorial Fund and the chance to compete in the semi-finals of the All England drama competition taking place at the end of May.

The Marist actresses are a highly motivated and dynamic group at A-level and used varied styles and practitioner influences and techniques during their rehearsal process. Mrs Jane Harris who is head of drama at the Marist Senior School said “the Maidenhead Festival is such a big event with so many different competitors of all ages, the girls are really amazed to have done so well. They sustained their focus and characterisations throughout the performance and I really am very proud of each and every one of them.”