For a third year in row, St Mary’s has taken part in the ESU’s wonderful ‘Performing Shakespeare’ competition, in which students perform Shakespeare monologues of their choice. This helps to develop oracy and dramatic skills and helps us all to remember that Shakespeare wrote his plays primarily to be performed, not read!

All Fourth Form students took part in the class heats and the winners of each group went forward to a hotly contested school final, judged (with great difficulty!) by Mrs Lord and Mrs Barrett-Jolley. All eight finalists were outstanding and deserve a mention here:

LIV:  Tega A and Suri Z

MIV:  Claudia F and Cici Z

UIV:  Sophie O, Tabitha R, Flora M and Jade B

After much deliberation, 1st place was awarded to Tabitha (UIV) for her sensitive yet powerful delivery of Juliet’s impassioned speech to the Friar in Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet, in which she begs for his help to save her from forced marriage to Paris.

Jade, also performing a scene from Romeo and Juliet, was awarded 2nd place and Suri finished in 3rd place with her monologue from the LIV’s Autumn Shakespeare play, The Tempest.

 Tabitha and Jade will now go forward to the regional round in March, when they will compete against students from other local schools. #

We wish them the very best of luck!

Mrs Katie Barrett-Jolley, English Teacher