High Street, Tonbridge,
Kent, TN9 1JP
Drama
Drama plays a major part in the life of the school and offers opportunities for involvement, irrespective of age or experience, to a large number of boys each year. The co-curricular program features between 7 and 9 major productions in a year in the E M Forster Theatre, plus a wide range of exciting workshops and professional shows/theatre trips.
Boys may gain experience not only as actors, but also as directors or as members of the technical teams responsible for stage management, lighting, sound, set design and construction, publicity, and front-of-house management. Pupils from local girls' schools participate in almost all productions, and with our boys, thrive in a positive, creative working environment.
School Plays
Each year's program includes three major school plays (or sometimes a musical): Senior, Junior and Lower-Sixth productions.
House Plays
House Plays are both an important House and Drama activity, with Drama department staff taking a mentoring role, to support the boy(s) who have taken on the challenge to direct and/or produce. The House pulls together to produce the play, with boys working in all areas – on and off stage.
Other Projects
In addition to the above, there are often a number of smaller-scale productions by particular groups of boys and/or staff outside the drama department. As well informal studio evenings and the ‘studio play’ at the end of every summer term, there have also been productions of plays in French, German, or Spanish.
The School’s arts program often brings in a variety of professional arts workshops which include a visiting director or company. In the past this has included masks, film making, public-speaking, puppetry and street dance.
Junior Drama Society
The JDS is a popular and fun after-school club that boosts social skills and confidence as well as dramatic experience. It meets weekly throughout the Autumn term. A number of pupils from local girls' school are also involved. Many members of the JDS go on to take LAMDA exams in the Spring term and then get involved in summer term Junior Play.
Theatre Trips
The E M Forster regularly welcomes visits from a variety of touring theatre companies and award-winning work. The Director of Drama works closely with the Theatre Manager to program events with the boys in mind. Theatre trips to plays in London and elsewhere are also a feature of the extra-curricular life of the school: a number of such visits are arranged each year for boys of all ages.
Hog Head Theatre Company (OT)
Hog Head Theatre Company is the theatre company for Old Tonbridgians. It was established in 2007, with a production of Frank McGuinness' hugely moving and beautiful play Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, which was taken to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe of that year.