Stage Combat and Puppetry Workshop Pulls No Punches

The cast of the upcoming school production His Dark Materials was treated to a stage combat and puppetry workshop on Saturday, 21 October. The workshop was led by professional drama practitioners King Wong and Shiona Carson, who worked with over 50 students from across the Years.

Students were split into two groups, attending each half of the workshop for an hour. In stage combat, they learnt how to choke, punch, and dodge someone convincingly on stage. In puppetry, students worked with controlling breath, eyeline, and movement in order to convey different emotions. The skills learnt culminated in a choreographed bear fight, which will be used in the actual play.

Jordyn Dubinsky, 10D, will be portraying the protagonist Lyra in His Dark Materials. She said, “I’ve always loved workshops. You get new skills, and it’s just really interesting. I’m really grateful for this opportunity.”

Shiona Carson, touching on the importance of drama, said, “Drama is an avenue for students to be able to build confidence, and it gives them a chance to get life learning skills that you don’t get in any other lesson. It’s an opportunity to inspire others, to be strong, confident, and to bring joy to life.”

By Nobel Chan, Media Team