Insightful Perspectives at the Oxford Playhouse

Leighton Park’s GCSE and Sixth Form Drama and Theatre Arts students, furthered their learning at The Oxford Playhouse on Thursday 5th October, engaging in the contemporary Theatre performance of ‘Kin’ by Gecko. The play offered a moving and inspirational performance of refuge and asylum seeking, provoking conversation amongst LP students and providing an interactive experience.   

 Peter Scoggins, Head of Drama commented on the performance: “All the actors in the performance now live in the UK but were born in another country and the majority of them, at some time were asylum seekers or refugees crossing borders. Their stories were the basis of the performance. We believe it is very important for students to experience a ‘varied diet’ of theatre and this theatre trip provided a crucial alternative to some of the other shows we are seeing this year. The performance was completely devised by the director and the actors in a way similar to how both GCSE and A Level course components assess students’ knowledge of theatre making. The performance was a powerful dance-theatre piece that incorporated songs and dances from a range of cultures and the action was presented in an episodic structure of related stories. The skills of the performers and the direction of the piece were breathtakingly beautiful and the use of hand-held lighting on stage created moments of intimacy and tenderness. At other times the noisy, chaotic, and energetic social dances from Syria, Kerala, Mexico, Serbia, and other cultures created very exciting sequences of celebration and showed a desperate need for release from the tension of becoming an exile or refugee. 

 The enriching and proactive performance demonstrated a range of techniques that allowed students’ theatre knowledge to expand beyond the classroom, a crucial enrichment experience. Opportunities such as these are also made to Drama scholarship students. At Leighton Park, Drama scholarships are available for applicants seeking entry into Year 7, Year 9, and Sixth Form. The Drama Department encourages applications from students interested in all aspects of performance and wishes to emphasise that scholarships are also open to students who are keen to pursue their interest in the technical and design aspects of theatre. The scholarship offers up to 30% remission of the Day fee; opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom and undertake directing, performing, and/or design responsibilities; Leadership roles whereby Scholars can develop their creative projects and performances; and additional one-to-one support appropriate to the Scholar’s ambitions. Applications for applicants seeking entry in September 2024 close on Friday 17th November 2023. Please see https://www.leightonpark.com/scholarship/ for more information.