Pictured here are the finalists (U4 and L4) of our English competitions which take place at the end of the academic year.
All the U3 Public Speaking competitors gave their presentations with impressive confidence, skill and organisation, and there was a stimulating range of topics on show. We were asked to consider, for example, whether children grow-up too quickly; the fate of bees; even the cult of the celebrity. Whilst Nathalie and Ila both achieved runner-up, it was decided that Bernadette delivered her controversial topic in the most compelling way by asking: is the time right for women priests?
In the U4 Prose Reading competition Issy won second prize for her reading from “Alice in Wonderland” which was both beautifully enunciated and sharply amusing, but first place was taken by Hannah for “Jane Eyre”. Hannah’s piece described the moment when Jane learns that she is to be sent away to boarding school. This is a tense and emotional scene, and Hannah managed to pull her audience in so that we were right there with Jane, feeling very small as she is questioned about her past behaviour. Sustaining such drama through this demanding excerpt was also part of Hannah’s success.
Finally, in the L4 Verse Speaking competition Mimi was given first prize in the Solo category for her interpretation of “Cinderella”, ably assisted by various ugly sisters and a handsome prince - demonstrating that what matters beyond the quality of tone and pitch, etc, was bringing out understanding through choreography and presentation. This was also shown in Boo’s rendition of “Little Red Riding Hood” which took second place. In the Group category Mr James found it impossible to separate two equally bizarre poems “The Boy who ran away from his Nanny and was Eaten by a Lion” (again Mimi with Boo & Harry) and “Finger Stuck-up My Nose” (Kat & Izzy) so pronounced the groups joint winners. The competition was a lovely way to end the term, especially as all the poems on show demonstrated the wit and intelligence of the finalists through how they had been performed.
Rosslyn Brand
