Term 4 began this week, marking the half way point for the Stagedoor Year 12 students. We certainly hit the ground running! On Tuesday, we went to see Birdsong at the Everyman, and it went straight to the top of the League of Productions. Birdsong is a heartbreaking story, set during World War 1, following the story of Stephen Wraysford and Jack Firebrace, soldiers whose fates are brought together during the carnage of the war, each haunted by those they love but cannot see. It was an excellent production – we loved the set, the acting, the live music, beautifully played by talented actor-musician James Findlay, the emotional depth and the wonderful story. We were, very excitingly, sitting just in front of author Sebastian Faulks and adaptor and scriptwriter Rachel Wagstaff, who watched the play and then ran a Q&A along with members of the cast. It was fascinating to hear about how Faulks created the original novel and how Wagstaff adapted it – particularly in finding out that the play is still evolving.

During the week, we also performed our NT Connections play, The Changing Room, for the first time, ahead of our two night run at the Everyman this coming week. We performed for Year 10 students at Henley Bank High School in Brockworth, who very much enjoyed the play. Year 10 student Poppy said “It was very good! Totally unique, not like anything I’ve watched before.” We look forward to performing twice more this week, before taking the show to Bath Theatre Royal next month. Tickets are still available from the Everyman Box Office if you’re quick!

On top of that, we also spent time working on our piece for International Women’s Day 2018. We will be performing at Pittville Pump Rooms on Saturday 10th March, as part of a large event which will also feature sporting activities with #glosgirlscan and Cheltenham Town Ladies Football Club, hands-on Science and Technology activities from Cheltenham Science Group and Imaginify, astrophysicist Dr Jackie Bell and the Ice Maidens who recently took part in an expedition to ski coast to coast across Antarctica. It promises to be a fantastic day for young people of all genders – a free event to celebrate International Women’s Day. This performance will form part of the students’ work for the Arts in the Community unit of their qualification – yet another example of Stagedoor Learning offering students real opportunities in the world of performing arts.

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