Drama
Our philosophy in the Drama Department is summed up by the phrase, "Drama for all". We believe that involvement in live theatre is a life-enhancing experience that equips young people with essential life skills, and should therefore be available to everyone.
Alongside our academic drama programme, we offer a broad and exciting co-curricular provision that includes clubs, workshops and Speech and Drama coaching. We run ambitious shows in the Meyer Theatre; in the autumn term we put on a big production that is open to everyone in the school, giving students a rounded experience of putting on a play with full production values, including large sets. The Junior Play in the summer, open to Years 9 and 10, is similarly impressive in its scale.
The big shows are by no means the only opportunities on offer. Our showcase of raw theatrical talent, ‘Short Cuts’, has created quite a buzz, as have the ‘Junior House Plays’ at the end of the summer term. The house plays capture the competitive spirit of the Millfield students, and are a display of team work and talent. Written and directed by Drama students in the Lower Sixth, the plays involve the participation of the whole of Year 9 and many Year 10, in exuberant performances often involving music and dance.
Our students also get to work in a professional theatre, through our annual contribution to the Shakespeare Schools Festival, and we are very lucky to have a fresh Director in Residence working with us every year between January and June. The DIR's job is to create further co-curricular opportunities for our students, often in unconventional, site-specific projects.
Students can get involved in any aspect of these productions, including acting, backstage work, technical assistance with sound and lighting, and publicity. What they get from it is a shared experience that gives them skills they will always find useful, notably creativity, team work, communication, decision making, risk taking and presentation.
Drama News
On Sunday 30 August, three generations of Old Millfieldians played an integral role in the very special event ‘One Enchanted Evening’. Some of the biggest names from the world of theatre travelled to Glastonbury to perform at the event which was held at Glastonbury Abbey.
- Alumni
- Arts
- community
- drama
- Prep
After using his stage management experience from school to illuminate local landmark Glastonbury Tor on Thursday evenings after the national clap for carers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Millfield Upper Sixth student Sam Wardell from Glastonbury is now going on study part-time in Events Management at the Events Academy in London, as well as starting his own events company.
- Academic
- Alumni
- Arts
- community
- drama
- Featured News
- Senior
- sixth form
The GCSE Drama Scripted Showcase was a vibrant evening of high-energy acting, in which our Year 11 Drama students performed monologues and duologues before a visiting examiner.
- Academic
- Arts
- drama
- Senior
Over the past term, the Year 8s have been working towards their production of Dick Whittington.
- Arts
- drama
- Prep
- production
Millfield Drama presented a festive favourite for this year's Senior Play. The thespians performed ‘A Christmas Carol’, an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic by John Mortimer.
- Arts
- drama
- Senior
- sixth form