As the final term of the year approached, the school’s annual summer play drew nearer, with the cast dedicating increasing effort each day to rehearse lines and coordinate scenes for what promised to be a remarkable performance. This year's play, titled '400 Years', was a Challoner’s original written by former teacher Brigitte Flower and directed by seven Year 12 students. Inspired by Mark Fenton’s book ‘The First 400 Years’, which celebrates the school’s remarkable 400th anniversary, the play promised a unique experience. Rather than beginning in the Hall, '400 Years' commenced in New Court, taking the audience on a journey through the school as it unfolded over the centuries. Each scene, directed by different Year 12 students, depicted a pivotal era that shaped the school's evolution.
The journey began in 1624, offering a glimpse into Challoner’s inaugural days, when the curriculum revolved solely around Latin—a stark contrast to today’s diverse offerings. Moving to the Quad for the next scene, the play transitioned to the early 20th century, highlighting advancements in the curriculum that now included languages like French, alongside core subjects such as Maths and Science. Scenes on the field illustrated the school's growth, introducing extracurricular activities like its first sports day, and addressing challenges such as sharing its premises with Chiswick High School during World War II. The narrative then leaped forward to 1978, depicting the hardships endured during the Winter of Discontent, when nationwide fuel shortages left Challoner’s without heating during bitter winters. The play culminated in the present day, weaving together four centuries of history that have shaped the school into what it is today—a testament to resilience and progress. A big thank you and congratulations to Brigitte Flower, the directing Year 12 students, and the 50 students from Years 8 to 12 for their outstanding performance. Their dedication not only made the play enjoyable but also a deeply intriguing exploration of Challoner’s rich history.
The final term saw the summer play burst forth onto the Challoner’s proscenium arch stage once again, with this year's play being The Odyssey.
Despite the pressure and limited rehearsal time, the cast threw all their energy into creating three nights of fun, fast paced and adventurous entertainment for their audiences.
Due to exams and other school events, the cast only had five weeks from auditions to performances to perfect the play. The cast was chosen within two days of the auditions and rehearsals began right away. As The Odyssey is a play with so many different roles, the cast was one of the biggest ever in the history of summer plays.
Everyone put in a tremendous amount of effort and rehearsals took place three times a week for many of the actors. Many scenes, such as the picnic scene in which Demodocus tells the story of Troy, took over three rehearsals to perfect and due to this, much time was taken up.
However, there was a major setback when Mr Millar was ill and consequently, one of the all-day rehearsals on Saturday didn't take place. Anyone who has been in a play at Challoner's will know the importance of the two Saturday rehearsals where all of the scenes, previously rehearsed in classrooms or in the studio individually, come together, and the play begins to look like a full performance.
On Mr Millar’s return to school, an emergency all-day rehearsal was hastily arranged during the school day. Everyone maximised their efforts, worked as a team and the play looked much more professional by the end of the day.
The crew, desperately missing Leon Sommer and Rory Collins, who would usually run the lighting and sound for any production, put on a spectacular display. Projections, which haven’t been used in a summer play for as long as Mr Millar could remember, were used and meant that a minimalist set was utilised.
Over the course of two acts and three nights, the play delighted the audience through the actors' display of adventure and action. From cheese loving Cyclops’ to chaotic drunk suitors; from raging storms at sea, to men transformed into pigs, the play kept the audience hooked and on the edge of their seats.
Thank you to Mr Millar for directing the play and the incredible student directors who helped with costume, makeup and pulling the play together.