PUBLISHED 29 February 2024
It tells you pretty well all you need to know about the calibre of any event subject to some kind of judgement when your panel of judges are compelled to add an additional category at the top end of the scale in order to differentiate between the consistently high quality of performances on show. Well, such was the case with this year’s quite splendid Poetry by Heart House event, which announced its arrival as slightly lighter and brighter springtime weather joined us in late February.
As always, proceedings leading to the Drama Studio final had involved every member of Year 7 committing a piece to heart over the first two months of the year; four finalists per House had been duly selected by their class teachers and so the scene was set for another epic recital-fest (poetry-off? performance-aganza?) lunchtime showdown to find our winners.
Sixteen finalists graced this year’s event, delivering a diverse range of pieces including those from schooldays past (like Carroll’s evocative nonsense in his ‘Jabberwocky’) as well as more playful offerings (such as Dahl’s modern spin on the tales of ‘Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf’ and ‘Snow-white’). ‘The Pig’ told the tale of a puzzled porcine protagonist who eventually worked out what his adversary, Farmer Bland, wanted from him, whilst Maya Angelou’s passionate plea for freedom touched many listeners’ ears via the resonant lines of her ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. House loyalties were, as ever, both fierce and tangible in the crammed auditorium, with the audience of staff, pupils, judges and competitors braced for a battle – one with House pride and points at stake.
Everyone in Year 7 is to be applauded for their good humour and participation, not least the competitors themselves, none of whom appeared daunted by the challenge in front of them on the day. Ultimately, the judges - Mrs Marland, Mrs Culpan, Mr Hayden and Mrs Lucking – cogitated, collaborated and computed the scorings, winners were declared, and the spoils of victory awarded. Congratulations to all who made this event the successful occasion it turned out to be.
The outcome this year was as follows:
Individual
Isaac B (Samlesbury) 1st
Darcey B (Gawthorpe) 2nd
Esme N (Rufford) & Charlotte R (Gawthorpe) 3rd=
House (by average score /47)
Gawthorpe 43.9 (1st)
Rufford 38.1 (2nd)
Samlesbury 37.5 (3rd)
Leighton 34.8 (4th)
J L Bridges