Drama
More than 20 productions every year
“ Think like a philosopher. Play like a child. ” Hurst Drama and Theatre Departments
Theatre is a central part of life for all students at Hurst College. As a Department, we see drama as a fundamental means of knowing and understanding the world in which we live. Through participation in Hurst co-curricular theatre, students can make sense of the craziness and messiness of the world in which they live, better understand themselves and develop the confidence and capacity to affect change within it.
Whilst Hurst is the proud owner of a state-of-the-art 400 capacity theatre and a fully equipped black box drama studio, the quality of the facilities is only a small indication of the value Hurst, and its community, place on drama and theatre. At Hurst, no matter whether consuming, producing or performing, there are opportunities for everyone to develop their sense of the world and their place within it through their participation in co-curricular theatre.
Major productions
The co-curricular calendar is packed full of opportunities for students from all year groups to take part in industry standard productions. The Department selects challenging texts which are full of opportunities for students to explore themes and issues pertinent to the modern world. Whether a classic Greek or a contemporary musical, the material selected offers students the opportunity to work with industry professionals and theatre education experts to explore its resonances with the world in which we live.
Recent productions have included:
| Shrek | Into the Woods |
| The Mystery of Edwin Drood | The Tempest |
| Romeo and Juliet | West Side Story |
| Les Misérables | A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
| Bits of Beckett |
Hurst Fringe
Alongside our major productions, the department also facilitates a range of student-lead projects that are performed throughout the year. This includes our annual Hurst-in-Rep week, where Sixth Form students lead ‘fringe performances’ and develop more experimental work in the drama studio.
Throughout the year, students are encouraged to take ownership of their own creative projects, writing, directing and producing their own work with the support of the Hurst Drama Department. In recent years, students have toured work that began as a piece of Hurst Fringe Theatre at festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Drama Scholarship Programme
The Drama and Theatre Department have developed a Drama Scholarship Programme that provides those with a particular talent and passion for drama and theatre with additional challenge. From Shell through to the Upper Sixth, the department runs specialist Scholars Plays that seek to offer students a professional theatre experience.
The Department enjoys a growing reputation with highly selective Drama Colleges across the country, with a significant number of students currently attending colleges such as the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Oxford Theatre School, Guildford School of Acting, Guildhall, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Emil Dale Academy. This is largely due to the specialist support offered to Drama Scholars in the Sixth Form who receive one-to-one audition tuition from our Associate Director Sara Markland and workshops with leading professionals.
House Film Competition
The annual House Film Competition is one of the highlights of the school year and has been running since 2008. Lead by professional film-maker Mike Carter, each House writes, produces, directs and performs in a film that is entered into a school-wide competition culminating in an Oscar-style award ceremony. This is a unique opportunity for students to experience the film-making process from start to finish, guided at each step by experts in the field.
LAMDA Courses
Hurst College boasts a specialist team of LAMDA teachers, dedicated to supporting students from the Prep School through to the Senior School in achieving graded LAMDA examinations. Courses currently offered include Verse and Prose, Acting and Musical Theatre in either monologue or duologue form.
Hurst Stage
Jamie Parker and Connie Fisher are proud patrons of our Hurst Stage summer school, which boasts and impressive array of industry professionals and theatre education specialists. With students from age 9 to 18, Hurst Stage offers a unique experience for students to develop their theatre-making and performance skills with a diverse group of young people from Hurst and the local community.
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
Shrek
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Edwin Drood
Edwin Drood
Les Misérables
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Footloose
Sparkleshark
Sparkleshark
As You Like It
As You Like It
