Drama pupils explored two powerful productions last month, each offering a distinct lens on humanity and resilience. From the raw emotional force of Punch to the national self-reflection at the heart of Dear England, both trips combined artistic insight with deeply personal impact. Pupils Alex and Minami reflected on some unforgettable theatrical experiences.
Punch – Alex, Second Year Specialist (Year 13)
At the beginning of November, the Second Year (Year 13) Drama pupils left School for a theatre trip. What followed, after a nice (but brief) dinner, was an evening of intense emotion and a heartbreaking insight into life for the impoverished gangs of Nottingham.
Punch, which started out as a regional production revolving around the tragic story of a one-punch death and the heartwarming forgiveness the victim’s parents showed to the attacker after his imprisonment, began in Nottingham last year and quickly became a sensation. Now at the characteristically baroque Apollo Theatre in London, its hard-hitting, reconciliatory story left not a dry eye by the time the curtain came down.
Punch was also one of the first plays to open a “circle of trust” outside its theatre in Nottingham, creating a safe space for audience members to discuss their experiences of abuse and violence. This beautiful, human care shattered the transactional nature of contemporary entertainment, and encouraged togetherness and vulnerability.
Its hard-hitting, reconciliatory story left not a dry eye by the time the curtain came down.
alex, second year specialist (year 13)
The set was minimalist in form, but every choice in its construction was justified and served a purpose. The lighting and sound were perfectly designed to light the audience at the right moments, connecting us to a particular scene and allowing us to experience the same emotions as the characters, and the sound design was created to almost imperceptibly enhance our emotional involvement in specific scenes and the entire show as a whole. So, a wonderful play from an academic perspective, and an even better one from a humanistic one. We all left with a palpable sense of introspection and were thoroughly moved by Punch.
We attended Punch as part of our “Evaluation of Live Theatre” component of the Drama and Theatre A Level, and as a play it was a dramatist’s dream.
alex, second year specialist (year 13)
Dear England – Minami, Fifth (Year 11)
The Fifth Form (Year 11) Drama GCSE pupils had the opportunity to visit the Chichester Festival Theatre to watch Dear England, a powerful and engaging play about Gareth Southgate’s (former England football manager) leadership of the England football team.
The production navigates through Southgate’s efforts to rebuild the team’s confidence and remove the fear of failure after 'years of hurt', particularly in penalty shootouts, tracing their journey through major tournaments such as the World Cup and the Euros.
The play combines real sporting moments with humour, emotion, and thoughtful commentary, offering an engaging perspective on how national identity shapes not only football, but society as well.
A personal highlight of the performance was a scene in which the England team finally beats the penalty curse by defeating Colombia in the World Cup stage and advancing to the quarter-finals.
The combination of lighting, freeze frame, and sound that replicated the stadium-like atmosphere created tension, which ultimately heightened the sense of accomplishment. This moment particularly stayed with me since it captured how the players overcame their mental fear of disappointing the supporters, which is not always portrayed in the media.
minami, fifth (year 11)
"The pupils really connected to both plays and it was fantastic to experience such engaging live theatre with them. Both pieces will no doubt stimulate standout written responses in the exams."– liz bennett, Head of academic drama |
 |
