It gives me pleasure to hand this week’s Secondary Blog to our Assistant Head of Department for English, Ms Anna Phillips, who has overseen yet another fantastic Year 9 Macbeth Monologue Competition. By the pricking of my thumbs, something fabulous this way comes….
Once again Year 9 students have surpassed our expectations - and we were already expecting a lot! Every year we end Key Stage 3 English with a focus on the 'Macbeth' monologue competition, as students have to bring together the three central skills of English (reading, writing and speaking). They do this with their empathetic understanding of complex Shakespearean characters, their creative writing as they craft a speech both emulating Shakespeare's style and showing their own personal flair, and then we ask them to thoughtfully deliver their own monologue to their peers as well!
Year 9 always makes us proud with this task, but this year we were left awe-struck. It was a delight to see the students performing their monologues live again in front of the judges, their teachers and the whole of Year 9 in the lecture theatre. All 6 finalists owned the stage in very different ways, and there was an excited atmosphere as their peers supported their friends' performances. The judges were left agonised by having to choose a winner from the 6 finalists pictured below:
From left to right: Seraphina, Daryl and Robbie brought Macbeth to life; Yuki had the audience in the palm of her hands with her original take on Banquo; and Neena and Avni showed such sympathy for Lady Macbeth.
Well done to the whole of Year 9 for their work on their monologues as I know there were so many excellent monologues showcased within the classroom too and a special thank you to the six who braved this stage as well. As the curtain closes for trips week and the end of term, it is great to see the students give their all and take risks with their creative choices! The overall results were:
Seraphina (overall winner)
Well done on winning the Macbeth monologue competition, Seraphina! The judges thought your gift for language and thoughtful array of vocabulary and techniques made you the winner! On top of that, you delivered your monologue with passion and flair! One of the best I have ever seen!
Daryl (teacher and student top choice)
Well done, Daryl! It was a really difficult choice for the judges as they were really tempted to choose you for the quality of your writing but especially for the flair with which you delivered your monologue. You owned the stage! One of the best monologues I have ever seen as well!
Robbie (runner up)
Well done, Robbie! You performed one of the top monologues in the whole year group, and you delivered it with flair, passion and stage presence. I was impressed by your complex understanding of character and your great use of tone!
Yuki (runner up)
Well done, Yuki! It was a joy to watch your performance! You had such thoughtfulness and originality in your portrayal of Banquo and your energy on stage was infectious! It was one of my favourite performances and it left me awestruck!
Neena (runner up)
Well done, Neena! Your monologue was one of the top in the year, and it was a joy to see you perform it. You brought such sympathy and understanding to the role and I loved your use of stage space as well. An engaging performance!
Avni (runner up)
Well done, Avni! Your performance was one of the top monologues in the year group. You brought to life on stage such thoughtful insight of the evolution of a complex character and you delivered this with passion and sincerity.
Stuck for something to read this Summer? We are here to help.
Here is a reading list created based on the winners and runners-up for the Carnegie Medal award. This prestigious award often celebrates and promotes great Key Stage 3 novels so if you should ever be stuck for what to read next, this is a great place to start!
Congratulations to all Year 9 students who took part in the Macbeth Monologue Competition and thank you to Ms Phillips and the English Faculty for ending the term on such a creative high! Wishing you all a summer full of wonderful books.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Maria Osowiecki
Secondary Principal