Drama

Drama at Habs is about creating a culture and inclusive community that overlaps all other aspects of school life. In both academic and co-curricular drama, we train students as theatre makers, giving them a safe space to play, explore and take risks. There is a strong emphasis on the process of ‘how’ we make work - focussing on a collaborative approach and encouraging students to find their voices and take ownership of the work created. Students are challenged in all aspects of performing, devising, directing, writing, music, movement and tech.  We encourage and support them to take responsibility to try things, make mistakes and discover it for themselves, in order to make dynamic and authentic work.

Alongside the department, students have amazing opportunities to work with professional writers, designers, theatre makers, musicians, puppeteers and choreographers to create the highest standards of work - making interesting, playful, relevant and socially-conscious theatre, that aims to be in line with other leading Youth Theatre companies in the UK.

Each year there will be at least three major co-curricular productions across the school - including adaptations of books and graphic novels, exciting new versions of classic texts, original devised work or plays created with professional writers. Alongside this we offer a wide range of acting and drama clubs, annual House Drama competitions, filmmaking and writing groups, and workshops in improvisation, movement and clowning, with the aim of engaging as diverse a range of students as possible. We also take part in the National Theatre’s New Views playwriting mentorship programme and The Coram Shakespeare Schools Festival and collaborate with the music department and the Girl’s school whenever possible.

Drama at Habs is more than about producing quality work that sits within the country’s theatre landscape. It is about giving our students the space and awareness to explore and challenge themselves and the world around them. To develop them as individuals - how they think, listen and communicate. To give them a toolkit of skills that they can use in all aspects of their lives and to encourage them to be genuinely brave and playful in the process!