Engineering Education Scheme

The team had 5 months to design and make a University residence. Also by the end of the "trip analysis module", which could be in- session there was a working 4 line proto- stalled in Dungeness B Power Sta tion, type! and send in a completed detaile d :.~.. ater came problems with power sup-L project report....... quite a task plies, microchips wrongly labelled when it was (a) not clear what THE by the manufacturers and misa "trip analysis module" was ENGINEERING takes all of which caused 2 and (b) the team's knowl- E or 3 weeks delay. Whilst edge of electronics was re- SCHEI~IIE James and Phil worked in the stricted to GCSE physics. technology centre on the acrylic The team were initially shocked and box, Alex designed and made printed then anxious to get on with theta sk - ~ cuit boards and Sam and Mr Piper did cir they soon resolved what the problem meant soldering. : certain. 110 volt lines in switching cupboards One big problem over the last 2 years has been occasionally "tripped" relays (a bit like fuses) and completing the project report by the deadline-this at present there is not a system for an engineer to find year the team was well organised and the report was out which ones have tripped and in which sequence. in the post on the right day with no extra hassle. The team was going to design a box which could Project Presentation Day is abig event with all the monitor this for 10 lines (although the final design was South East Region teams together (this year in a for 12). This could save the company a lot ofinoney, building at Chatham Maritime). The teams had to set because whenever a relay trips certain devices are up a stand with posters, hardware, designs etc. They shut down - it was essential to obtain a quick answer. also had to give a 15 minute presentation to a team Working mainly on Thursday afternoons, but with a of4 professional engineers - no mean feat. Later the fair amount of"home" work the team came up with engineers visited the stall to "grill" the team members 2 different designs. One was extremely attractive on the project. with displays oflight emitting diode arrays. The other Although the final device is not yet completed (but it was also good with liquid crystal counter/displays should be by the end ofthe summer term) the whole for each line - for each of these solutions a working scheme was a great success. The team members computer simulation was made. The latter solution have learnt a lot: how to work closely together with was adopted because not only could it give a timing no "friction", organisational abilities, new skills, new output of each "trip" (something beyond the speci- understandings of electronics, presentation techfication) but it also used far less components. niques, meeting various deadlines - in fact what it is It is one thing to design a computerised simulation like to be an engineer. circuit, but it is a different story when real compo- The scheme is not a competition, but skills are nents have to be put together by pupils who didn't assessed. The assessments the team received were know one end of the soldering iron from the other well above the regional average. Congratulations to (although they quickly found out). the team members - they have done extremely well. The teamwork was ex- cellent. There was a huge,-_. From Left to Right: amount of progress made Teacher/mentor: and different members G.R.Piper Team: worked on different as- Ilex Mansfield, pects of the design and Junrr.~ Reynolds, manufacture. Also the Phil Day, team members got on ex- Sums Hignett. tremely well with each Lngineer Tutor: Zia Ahmed. other and worked effi- ciently and in good hu- mour. The highlight was the 3 day session at Loughborough Future Lower Sixth Form science pupils ....... can University in December- everyone had great fun, ate you rise to meet the challenge? lots of chips and fond out what it is like to live in Geoff Piper- News from the School 7

With the introduction of Theatre Studies we have seen wonderful increase in the range and rate of performances at SV. These reviews and photographs merely show a reflection ofthis output.

Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, adapted by Helen Woods. Levin is a Chekhovian figure; adult but, in Edmundson Sutton Valence, played with student passion. The SVS Theatre Workshop beautiful Anna and the prickly, idealistic Levin ocNovember 1996 cupy separate plots and meet only towards the end ofthe tragedy. Edmundson has given them an almost To expect young actors to undertake such a task telepathic relationship throughout and they can conseemed frankly absurd. The emotional range ofthis jure each other up with the words "Where are you novel is notoriously wide and deep. This particular now?". This device works beautifully. adaptation ofTolstoy's novel was made for Shared The ensemble playing was extraordinarily disciExperience Theatre in the early 90s. They are highly plined. John Watson would be the first to admit that praised exponents ofphysical theatre. How could a this was largely because ofthe input from Polly Teale small company from a relatively small school cope of Shared Experience and his own study ofthe Soho with such a piece of work? The answer, for this group's methodology. He learnt the lessons well and reviewer, is brilliantly. Even judged by the high conveyed them to his young cast. There was a standards of S V S Theatre Workshop this was out- cinematic fluidity in this direction with some dazzling standin. stylisation in the crowd scenes. Busy railway stations, racing crowds, and serfs in the fields came suddenly to life on-stage. Stylisation is only as good as the actors and production. It was obvious that the leading actors and director had worked together for several years. The naivete and, it must be said, natural immaturity of the cast was present in the performances of Belinda Long, Nick Harman and Georgina Mear. But their literalist readings were offset by the director's attempts to get them moving which gave vitality to their efforts. Belinda Long is engagingly selfconscious but could become an accomplished actor in time. The tangible presence ofdeath was gripping from the opening moments of the play when the four candle sticks of life were lit on-stage whilst the figure of death, faceless and hooded, hovered over them. F-7 Acting the part ofthe railway train under which Anna dies, the entire cast becomes masked and advanced The production was flexible and exhilarating. The upon her with increasing volume calling her name. It nzis en scene, in traverse, in the school library was was a carefully presented and disciplined moment. exciting, vital and original. The music ofTchaikovsky Only four nights! If there is one piece of student was atmospheric and completely appropriate. The theatre the reviewer has seen in the last decade set consisted of 17 chairs; pushed, dragged, dumped, which deserves to be seen far beyond the confines of sat-upon, stood on and sometimes j ust left to stand its own theatre this was it. There is much to praise sti 11, occasionally representing something else. and with this director and company it is safe to The conflict of the play was between Levin, sensi- assume that the mistakes have already been learnt. tivelyportrayed with expert skill by Matthew Groom, Schools have their own agenda, and examination representing Tolstoy's idealism and love ofthe land packed timetables, if it were not so this production and Russian peasantry, and a more dissolute, pas- should spend at least one whole school holiday on sionate, demanding self, represented by Anna, tour. poured out in a passionate performance by Jo Andrea Brighouse I1

It was a typical SVS Theatre Workshop mi., cn scene: the technically unfussy, but practical and serviceable lighting, the minimalist set with all white furniture andthe powerful icon ofthe Virgin Mother. the near flawless diction of Ann Clague, Matt Cleghorn, Matthew Groom and Su-Ming Wild and Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas the restless movement and physicality ofthe action. SVS Theatre Workshop In the London theatre they would call it "European" March 1996 of"avant garde". This merely means that the direction washighly imaginative and innovative without Oxford during Commemoration Week in 1892 was any damage to Chekhov. brought to the school theatre in a ski Iful production SVS Theatre Workshop is a mawhich painlessly squeezed every last laugh out ofthe daft plot. This production looked good, sounded jor experiment in youth drama. good and almost made the ludicrous situation seem There are few like it. Therefore, possible. The actors all seemed to take the play one reproach: Sutton Valence seriously and the quality ofthe production was such that I could almost believe that the young artists had does not seem to appreciate given this trivial text the 'Stanslayski' treatment. what it has got. There were cast changes every night, Lyndsey Poynter playing both Amy and Ela when these roles This was the third production of the Workshop were not played by Christy Best or Jo BailIie. The attended by this reviewer in which there was a major production was a seamless whole and it is remark- change in the cast each night. I have always considable that the changes were effected without any disruption. Su-Ming was a delight as Donna Lucia and Jo Woods revealed herselfas a real comedienne ered this to be dangerous, threatening to unbalance the production. It is to the credit of director and actors that the method has so far been successful. with excellent timing. The pace and timing so essen- There were only two weak performances on the three evenings when I saw the play and some actors, In this case, he was literally like Matt Cleghorn as Dr. Chebutykin and Matthew acting his pants off and we Groom as Andrey Prozorov gave performances of exceptional quality: the latter's interpretation of are lucky to see him doing it! Andrey was carefully considered, beautifully executed and physically calculated. Quite extraorditial to farce were exceptional throughout the show. nary in someone of fifteen years and the best piece Matthew Groom (Jack), Christopher Kirby Higgs of sustained acting I have seen anywhere in a long (Charles) and Ben Mear ( Spettigue) were masters time. of split-second timing and slapstick passing through SVS Theatre Workshop is a major experiment in the unlikely coincidences and improbable twists of youth drama. There are few like it. Therefore, one plot as ifthese were daily events. Matthew Cleghorn reproach: Sutton Valence does not seem to appre- as Lord Babberley and as his `aunt' - excelled ciate what it has got. I associate the school with himself, which is to say a great deal of an actor who shooting and hockey but not with the arts. This is the has played three maj or roles in this academic year, propaganda. In fact, SVS Theatre Workshop has with more to come. In this case, he was literally been operating for years at an international standard. acting his pants offandwe are lucky to see him doing This reviewer habitually compares it with London, it! Chicago and San Francisco where the writer has The design concept, dressing and production were recently seen less accomplished productions of impeccable. Chekhov by full time drama students. Andrew J. West Andrea Brighouse 11

SVS Theatre Workshop, November 1995 Candide is the work for which Voltaire (16941778) is best remembered today. It is a moral tale George Steiner's fiction arises from his philosophical exploring and parodying the work ofa great German and literary studies, which are often concerned with philosopher Leibniz who had concluded that the the enigma of language and its power to bless world is basically good - in fact, the best possible - mankind or destroy it. The Portage is a sort of and that its apparent evils were secondary irritations. political-philosophical adventure story which tells of This theme is explored through the adventures ofthe the capture by a group of Israeli Nazi-hunters ofthe youthful Candide. It proved to be a useful vehicle for `one out of hell', Adolf Hitler, who in Steiner's what was clearly an exercise in training young actors. version has not died in the bunker but escaped to the With a cast of 75 actors, singers and dancers, some jungles of South America. In the long, mad tirade simple and effective lighting, delightful songs written which ends the story, Steiner expands on the theme for the production by Martin Bruce, and some that Jews suffer because they `invented' the mono- sharply defined characterisation, the evening was a theist God, and that Hitler is the real Messiah of great success. modern Israel. It is not a straightforward piece of work! Leibniz ... had concluded that

Alex Mansfield ... held the fact, the best possible. audience in the palm of his hand during the astonishing All the parts were doubled over two nights to use the largest possible number of actors. It was obvious 25 minute anti-sermon at the that many actors who could easily play the leading end of the play. parts were under employed in the chorus, but with such enormous numbers is was clearly impossible to use more pupils in larger roles. James Young and The adaptation by Christopher Hampton was a Marcus Husbands gave convincing performances as success with Sir Alec McCowan as A.H. It is the eponymous hero ofthe show. Sophie Thomas, essential to have an exceptional actor in this role. Sarah Lacey, Edmund Adams, Isabel Clague, Katie SVS Theatre Workshop was fortunate in the choice Gornall and Jane Mansell all deserve special mention of Alex Mansfield. Heheldthe audience in the palm for the contributions in various major roles. ofhis hand during the astonishing 25 minute anti- As an educational experiment the evenings sucsermon at the end of the play. Matthew Cleghorn ceeded. Mike Gornall's dramatic design on the T provided a powerful counterpoint with his repre- shirts enhanced the production, being worn by every sentative Jew, with tallit and teffilin. His rich voice participant throughout the show. had a kind of liturgical quality. Christy Best, who Andrew J. West seems to appear in every production, was at her most beguiling. Matthew Groom was a mesmerizing young Rabbi. James Abbott was an effective Amerindian presence, with few lines but looking every inch of the part. The design concept ofthe director helped the production. The creation of a jungle on-stage was exceptionally effective with other scenes spread out on the main floor ofthe hall. The space was carefully utilised. Another feather in the cap of SVS Theatre Workshop! Andrea Brighouse 12

My dictionary tells me that a revue is a series ofshort theatrical entertainments, which hardly does justice to this marvellous musical and theatrical potpourri whose sweet aroma filled the Main Hall of Sutton Valence School for two evenings in the Summer of 1996. I attended both presentations. The range of material, from Euripides ,through Shakespeare and Oscar Hammerstein, to Pete and Dud was a wonder and delectation, greeted from start to finish each night with rapturous applause. The music included a delightful `Shakespeare Waltz' written for the revue by Martin Bruce, who also produced the delectable spoof `I didn't kill the princes in the tower', performed by the two Alexes - Mansfield and Long - in a neatly choreographed duel. The Philip Horley trio with the maestro at the piano, Kate Barker on flute, Jonathan Cowell on violin and John Watson on cello and trombone, accompanied a series of songs: Matthew Meredith in fine voice with `Wave the Flag', Ben Harperwith a golden syrup rendering of' If! loved you', Jo Baillie stylishly belting out 'Can't help loving that man of mine' and Su-Ming in ambrosial form with `What's the use ofwondering'. Su-Ming gave furtherevidence ofher multi-talented starquality in an electrifying performance as Queen Margaret from "Richard the Third", cursing everyone in sight , and as the narrator in aJust Williu,,r excerpt. In the latter sketch, James Young was convincing in the title role; a newcomer to the Theatre Workshop, he is clearly a talent to watch. Matthew Cleghorn and Anna Clague gave powerful l interpretations ofthetitle roles in `Richard III' and `Henry V'. No misprint! Anna was a magnificent King Henry and provided one of the scalp tingling moments of the evening with her speech on the eve of Agincourt. James Richardson, in the Juniors' sketch showed that the young people at Sutton Valence are taught to read Shakespeare impressively from the very beginning. Christy Best, for some years the ingenue in the director's armoury was in spitting form as Lady Anne in the `Richard Ill' excerpt. She is becoming a respected strength in the school theatre. A most welcome innovation this yearwas the dance, choreographed and taught by Jacquie Mear, an experienced choreographer. This was well done. The pus de deux from Sarah Wyatt and Ben Mear was gently accompanied by solo `cello and danced with elegance and passion by the accomplished soloists. All the dancing was executed with energy and commitment. This was the fifth of these Summer revues I have seen. Long may they continue to educate and delight us. More - many more - please! Andrew J. West

A Private Audience with Arthur Miller than the chronological order of writing, the Private some possibilities forthe vicarious pleasure with extracts from the plays which together form a Audience gave us Millerhimself, from his upbringOK. Hands up how many of you in the audience ing in the hungry' 30s, when his father's financial which packed the Music School on that Sunday ruin provided the basis for Death ofa Salesman, evening last January thought this was the Miller through his experience of America at war, rewho wrote Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of flected in All My Sons, to the McCarthy era, Capricorn? Be realistic though, even SVS when Miller himselfwas convicted of contempt Theatre Workshop may have to wait a year or for refusing to name suspected Communists two before it stages An Evening with Henry before the House un-American Activities ComMiller. mittee, translated into the Salem witch trials of The Crucible. On through A View from the Or perhaps, it being the Music School, you Bridge, The Archbishop 's Ceiling and Broken thought it was their brother Glen. Nevermind,at Glass Miller continues to emphasis the insecurity least you got Count Basie and Erroll Garner - not of modern life, his search for the personality to mention the director's lyrical cello - by way of behind the character and his empathy with the compensation. victims ofboth the major and the minor tragedies And in any case, you had little to complain about. having certain ofhis cast speak Miller's lines in Even if you felt that, yet again, John Watson had their own tongues, John Watson underlined the got you there under false pretences, this after all if universality of Miller's truths. We may not have the third of America's magic Millers - the one comprehended the words they were enunciating, who married Marilyn Monroe, which must offer but we surely understood what they were saying. seeker. Once again the performances from Theatre In fact, from the moment the lights went down, ofthem. It would of course be invidious to single Arthur, in the form of Cyrus Shahrad, had even out any one performance, were it not for Cyrus the most disillusioned big band or banned book Shahrad's tour de force as Miller - how does he fan transfixed as he related his life story, interlaced keep up that accent so convincingly? of the 20th century. Moreover, by the device of Workshop's members belied their years - or lack commentary on the horrors of the 20th century in So it wasn't a night of torrid passion with Henry, general and of20th century America in particular. nor yet an evening of swing with Glen. But it certainly was an unforgettable experience. By arranging the plays in their logical order rather Andrew Bond 14