Page 102 - Bellfort Magazine 2024

As the curtains close on another remarkable school year filled with captivating performances,
heartfelt emotions and unforgettable moments, our Drama Department stands proud,
showcasing the talent, dedication and passion of our students

Key Stage 3 – Drama - This year junior school were taught a range of schemes to encompass
practical and theory drama. Bugsy Malone, Vocal Skills, Script Writing, ‘Let him have it’,
Melodrama, Soap Operas and Matilda the Musical. Pupils love to explore various physical skills
such as physical theatre and tableau through various drama warm up games .
GCSE – Year 11 - What does identity mean to you? - The Year 11 class have grown in confidence
this year through their practical exploration of various devising techniques such as hot seating,
cross- cutting, physical theatre and improvisation. Group 1 comprised devised a play linked to
mental health issues. This was inspired by the movie ‘inside out’. Pupils were inspired by physical
theatre and the work of Bertolt Brecht. They transformed into the various emotions that a
teenager experiences daily, joy, anger, fear, disgust, envy etc. They then reported on the hard -
hitting facts and issues surrounding Mental Health issues within young people in Northern
Ireland. The second group explored a slightly more personal journey of Identity and created an
episodic, naturalistic play about two sisters starting a new school, making friends and meeting
new people.
The Final Curtain Call for Year 12 - In March the year 12 class performed in 3 groups for an
external examiner. The class showed maturity and enthusiasm as they performed on stage for
the last time this year. Miss Norton has encouraged pupils to work hard in groups and completed
various workshops in our lessons with the ease of restrictions. Extracts from Lady Windemere’s
Fan, Agnes of God and The Lieutenant of Innishmore entertained both the examiner and the
audience as we saw melodramatic and comedic performances as well as some thought-provoking
scenes reflecting on the historic events in Ireland.
‘The Mousetrap’– AS Performing Arts - At AS level this year, pupils were given the theme of
‘Darkness and Light’ and researched various plays that they could use to explore these themes.
Rachel Cremore, Robert Surgenor, Brandon Foster, Christina McWhirter, Hannah Smyth, Erin
Hayes, Hope McLernon- Wray, Taylor Ashe and Olivia Nelson displayed an exceptional approach
towards working together, attending rehearsals, learning lines and overall performance. This
class have excelled themselves this year and wowed their family, friends and an external
examiner in May with their version of ‘The Mousetrap’ by Agatha Christie. The Mousetrap is a
classic murder mystery set in a guesthouse, Monkswell Manor, during a snowstorm. The plot
revolves around a group of strangers who become trapped in the guesthouse due to the harsh
weather conditions. Tensions rise as it is revealed the murderer was amongst them. They must
work together to uncover the killer’s identity. The year 13 incorporated acting and the beautiful
singing of Hannah Smyth to produce a performance which captivated their audience and kept
their audience guessing until the very end. Mrs Nevin and Miss Norton have thoroughly enjoyed
working with such a talented cohort of pupils this year.
Dunclug Drama Club - Mrs Nevin and Miss Norton led the School Drama Club in January this year.
Pupils from across Year 8- Year 14 enjoyed performing various scripts and explored different
genres of drama through practical performance. Everyone enjoyed acting and lots of drama
games. They also made lots of new friends too! The drama club’s success is a testament to the
dedication and passion of its members, and it has undoubtedly enriched the school experience
for everyone involved.
Theatre Trips: ‘The Faith Healer’ – Millenium Forum - Pupil engagement and immersion is at the
forefront of the Department’s values. We felt there was no better way to kick off the new year
than with a trip to the Millenium Theatre to see ‘The Faith Healer’ by Irish Playwright. Pupils from
Year 11, 12, 13 and 14 Drama and Performing Arts classes were afforded the opportunity to
watch a completely different sort of performance based on two monologues.