Arts Week 2017
23 May 2017
The second annual celebration of creativity, imagination and culture was back on campus for Arts Week 2017, with a wide range of arts-inspired antics and activities providing entertainment for all comers.
Monday 15 May
First thing, rock band Illegal Bass (Fearghus Bratten, Max Thomas, Kynan Salt, Eddie Priest, Tim Ward) tested their live act and performed two original songs in anticipation of their upcoming appearance at RockQuest.
At lunchtime, the Houses battled it out on the Quad for the Wearable Arts crown. Corfe placed third, Harper second, and School House flew to the top of the pack with their winning birdman creation. And in a packed OBT Year 13 students Hugo Beale, Hugh Marshall, Nick Stevens and Finn Sziranyi demonstrated the strength of wit and wordplay in five Theatresports games.
Tuesday 16 May
The Round Square Adventure Day saw boys arriving at school wearing themed mufti – each House selected a country’s flag that could relate to their House colours and asked students to wear the same colours. Some Condell’s students let their creativity fly, dressing up as members of a Colombian cartel. Money raised from the mufti day will support the charity Beyond Water.
At lunchtime, three food trucks – 5-Foot Way, Transylvanian Delight and Tommy Taco – set up on the Upham Quad, serving delicious food to the hungry hordes.
A rotation of College rock bands provided a backdrop of sound to events taking place on Upper. In a nod to the street art style of Banksy, Spray Paint challenged teams from each House to create an original work of art designed to depict or reflect an aspect of their House, with Jacobs House coming first with their colourful rendition of their House emblem. At the same time, the Round Square Adventure Relay pitted teams from each House against each other in various challenges.
Wednesday 17 May
A “celebrity roast” teetered on the brink of becoming a fond farewell in anticipation of the departure of music teacher and all-round good guy, Nic Sutcliffe. Year 13 student Nick Stevens, performing arts technician Grant Bennett and classics teacher Chloe Harland all had their say, entertaining a crowd of Year 12 and 13 students, before Nic was given the right to reply.
Meanwhile, junior students could have a go at karaoke, taking to the stage in a lip-sync battle. Winning accolades for their effort were Flower’s House with their performance of “The Gumboot Song”, Harper with “The Chicken Song” and Jacobs House taking on “Let It Go”, from the perennially popular Disney hit Frozen.
Thursday 18 May
Film festival time. Over the course of the week, students from each House were invited to make a short (1-minute) MTV Cribs style film, advertising the best bits of their House. Funny, affectionate, with a dash of slapstick, and showcasing some great College talent, the overall winner was Jacobs House, filmed and edited by Hugo Beale and starring Kevin Guttman, with Raiyan Azlan from Condell’s winning the award for best presenter.
Friday 19 May
Aspiring rock legends looking for their big break took to the stage in the Assembly Hall, with College rock bands belting out some great sounds in the Battle of the Bands. The Subs (Humphrey Bullen, Matias Biraben-Clough, Max Toth, Jacob Banks) were the eventual winners, with Run 77 (Henry Phelps, Angus Murray, George Murray, Angus Mossman, Rob Rolleston) second, and High Ground (Dominic Edmond, Fletcher Anderson, Angus Murray, Eddie Priest, Liam Allan) third. Run 77 took out the award for stage presence. Rock band tutor Nolan Hungerford nurtures the talent of all these groups as part of the new rock music programme offered at College.
It takes organisation, coordination, communication, and excellent teamwork, as well as acceptance that anything can happen, to stage an event such as Arts Week. Head of Arts and Culture Jacob Banks, who appeared to be everywhere at once, says it was an amazing experience, and he felt privileged to be working with a great team – including his “right hand man” Brent Criglington and, among others, Sam McKay, Charlie Horncastle, Sam Julian, Liam Sullivan, Finn Sziranyi, Hugo Beale, Vincent Li and rock band tutor Nolan Hungerford – who helped make Arts Week a success.
