CISK Drama Festival 2025

The aspiring thespians of Grade Six were entrusted with doing justice to our revered bard, and they did so with aplomb. Learning lines presented the biggest challenge to all the actors and, on occasion, some of them ‘dried up’. 

However, this did not detract significantly from the play and was also understandable given the balmy day. There is magnificent acting talent in Grade Six which we aim to nurture and develop in the future. 

The period piece, ‘Pygmalion’ was proudly presented by Grade Seven and their intense preparation was plain for all to see. Some cues were missed, a few lines went AWOL, but flawless performances are as rare as hen’s teeth. The cast deserve great praise for their efforts, particularly the two main protagonists who had a huge burden of dialogue. 

Grade Seven also contributed with a contemporary work ‘The Painting that wasn’t there’; a whodunit mystery set in the art world. The students’ roles were complemented by an exuberant cameo from Mr. Cliff, our MYP coordinator, whose energy and enthusiasm were contagious. 

The festival was intended to reflect the diversity of the theatre and show how acting as storytelling transcends cultures and time. To this end, ‘Mulan’ was performed in Chinese by Grade Eight, bringing colour and action to the stage. Many students in Grade Eight have great potential in the field of drama. I hope they learned from this experience the discipline and dedication that drama requires. 

Finally , Grade Nine gave us their interpretation of ‘The Frogs’ by Aristophanes, classic Greek theatre to bring the curtain down in the afternoon. Just as they do academically, so Grade Nine set themselves the highest standards in all their endeavors. Hence ‘The Frogs’ was a consummate, accomplished performance which had the audience enthralled. 

For the vast majority of the participants, it was their first time treading the boards and it gave them a magnificent insight into the demands of theatre. Drama values are also life values - the importance of teamwork and collaboration, discipline and time management, blocking out distractions and re-encountering the ability to focus. Performing in front of an audience forces you out of your comfort zone, a term I have always felt is a synonym for laziness. 

We will continue to foster these values, build on the positives of the Festival and encourage students in the performing arts. Thank you to everyone who helped with the organisation and logistics of the event, the parents who came along to show their support and especially  our eloquent and elegant MCs. 

Written by: Mr. Ian Docherty, Head of English Language A

六年级的年轻戏剧爱好者们肩负起了向这位伟大剧作家致敬的重任，他们也的确不负众望，精彩演绎。对所有演员来说，背台词是最大挑战，有时也难免会出现短暂的“卡壳”。

然而，这并未对整体演出造成明显影响，毕竟当日天气温暖宜人，偶有小失误也属情理之中。六年级展现出了令人惊喜的表演潜力，我们期待在未来继续培养和发展他们的才华。

七年级为大家带来了经典作品《卖花女》。他们投入了大量准备，努力可见一斑。虽然有些提示略有遗漏，个别台词也有失误，但要做到完美无瑕本就是凤毛麟角。演员们值得高度赞扬，尤其是两位主角，承担了大量台词的重任，表现尤为出色。

七年级还带来了现代戏剧作品《那幅不存在的画》，一场设定在艺术界的推理悬疑剧。此次演出还得到了MYP协调员Cliff老师的特别客串，他充满活力与热情的表现，为演出增添了亮色。

本次戏剧节旨在体现戏剧艺术的多样性，展示表演作为叙事方式如何超越文化与时代的界限。为此，八年级用中文表演了《花木兰》，为舞台带来了绚丽的色彩和精彩的动作戏。八年级中也涌现出许多富有潜力的戏剧新星，希望他们通过这次经历，理解到戏剧所需要的纪律性与奉献精神。

最后，九年级为大家呈现了古希腊戏剧《青蛙》，为本次戏剧节画上了圆满的句号。正如他们在学术上追求卓越一样，九年级同学在戏剧表演中也设定了极高的标准。因此，他们带来的《青蛙》演出堪称专业、技艺精湛，深深吸引了观众。

对于大部分参演学生来说，这是他们首次登上舞台，这次经历让他们对戏剧的要求有了直观且深刻的认识。戏剧所培养的价值观，也是人生所需的重要品质——团队协作、纪律性、时间管理、排除干扰、重新培养专注力。登台表演促使人们走出“舒适区”，而我一直认为所谓“舒适区”，不过是懒惰的代名词。

未来，我们将继续培育这些宝贵的价值观，发扬戏剧节中的积极成果，鼓励更多学生在表演艺术中探索成长。感谢所有参与本次活动组织与后勤支持的人员，感谢到场支持的家长们，以及特别感谢我们口才出众、举止优雅的主持人团队。

撰稿人：Ian Docherty老师，英语A组长