Harrow County School for Boys, Gayton High School,
Harrow High School
Dramatics
By Alex Bateman
Prevalent
at the School from the earliest days was the existence of Dramatics. Although no plays were produced in the first year or so, a
Dramatics Society was formed as early as 1914 with their first production that
of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Almost
immediately, war interrupted its activities, but after peace came once again,
plays were put on almost every year, 1960 seeing the 35th.
The
subject of a performance was usually up for discussion, with suggestions coming
from members of the Society as well as those outside.
In 1931, it was decided to stage a 'Variety Show', very much a break from
the normal Shakespeare, Shaw and Anderson style of play. This did not go down well, and the reviewer of the 'Harrow
Observer' noted that he hoped to see a "…swing back to Shakespeare and
Art for Arts sake". Productions
were also staged to raise money for the Pavilion Fund and later the Swimming
Pool fund, both with considerable success.
Before
the war, casts were limited to boys not taking external examinations, however,
when it was reformed in 1948, the Society was restricted to members of the Fifth
and Sixth forms only. In 1954, it
was opened to members of the whole School.
Up
until the war, the female parts were always played by boys of the School. This was not always popular, but those taking part invariably
acted to a very high standard, as did all of the cast, whatever role or
production they were involved in. This
situation eased slightly in 1950, when new ground was broken by the introduction
of ladies from the 'Old Gaytonians Dramatic Society', itself set up in 1914, and
technically the oldest of all the OGA sub-sections.
Boys still played many of the minor female roles however, although in
1956, girls from Headstone Secondary School (now Nower Hill High School)
appeared as fairies in some dance sequences.
Apart
from an annual play, the Society also produced a number of Christmas plays.
Bearing in mind that Christmas Entertainment's were staged by house, and
others such as the Scouts would produce plays, Drama played a very large part in
the life of Harrow County.
Throughout
the 1960s, the standard of School productions rose continually to the point when
one reviewer wrote, "…they invited critique rather than sycophancy".
In 1965 new ground was broken when the School play was directed not by a
member of staff but by a sixth Former, Martin Walker.
Subject of the production was 'The Scottish Play', and it received much
local and national interest, being somewhat more controversial than most school
plays.
Another
innovation arrived in 1968 in the form of 'Convergence', so called as it was a
dramatic group formed of students of both the Boys and Girls County Schools.
Approximately two productions a year were staged, and as in all aspects
of the School, those involved often went on to bigger and better things in that
sphere. The TV personality Clive
Anderson, Geoff Perkins (actor and currently head of BBC Comedy) and Francis
Mathews (now known as Matthew Francis a West End theatre director) were three
former Harrow County Boys, while Michael Portillo and Diane Abbot (of Harrow
County Girls School) of political fame were two more.
Of
the members of staff who helped produce the plays, few were of the Drama
Department. Perhaps most came from
the English Department, Jim Golland an ever present force, while Harry Mees of
History and Scouts was to be found back stage.
A mock stage 'apprenticeship' was run by Harry, carrying some weight for
those wishing to pursue the profession. Successful
completion was crowned with a lavish hand written certificate.
A
new Drama Master to the School in the early 1970s was Andy Kelso.
Full of energy, he had a great passion for his subject, so much so that
he took on the renovation of the derelict 'terrapin' porta-cabin which stood
next to the swimming pool to turn it into a drama workshop.
The finished result contained a classroom, costume store and studio.
Plays
continued throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s under Mr Kelso, with an annual
Christmas show being the highlight. It
seems that, with the demise of Harrow County, the school Dramatic Society ceased
to be also.
In
1983, Mr Kelso came up with the idea of a 'Dramathon', a 72 hour non-stop drama
marathon, to raise money for local charity.
The idea came after two Fourth year Drama students performed in Covent
Garden, hoping to raise some money to help with further improvements to the
Drama Block. Having little success,
other ventures were looked at, and the idea was born.
It was decided that a show/concert would be staged in the hall over three
evenings, mostly by staff, while senior drama students would perform throughout
the night. Junior students, who had
not yet opted to take drama as a subject performed throughout the day.
Most
staff took part in the evening performance, although Mr Kelso, subjecting
himself to seven costume changes collapsed with exhaustion part way through one
day. 'The Show Must go On' was
never more in existence when he reappeared that even and went on as normal.
Several
guests visited over those three days, including Roy Castle, as it was said that
an entry in the 'Guinness Book of records' was another thing aimed at.
Andy Kelso later left the School and profession, instead joining the
church.
In
the late 1980s, the swimming pool and drama block were the unfortunate target of
an arson attack, and so the School were once more without a separate drama
studio. However, plays continued,
at a high standard as ever. Changes
to Gayton High School in the form of proposed new buildings meant that things
looked to have a brighter future on the drama front.
In
1998 a new 'expressive arts' building was begun, housing purpose built studios
and stores, classrooms, dance studios, and music rooms.
A gymnasium was also added, and this imposing but impressive structure
was ready for use, albeit somewhat later than planned, in 2000. It was be officially opened in April 2001, and highlights
again the importance that music and the arts play in the life of the School.
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