Best Overall Actor at Shakespeare Competition

Following on from Saint Kentigern’s ‘Shake the Quad,’ an outdoor evening performance of extracts from Shakespeare’s plays, 52 young thespians from Years 7-13 went on to take part in the Auckland Region of Shakespeare’s Globe Centre NZ, University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival held at Botany Downs College over the weekend. 

The College entered several pieces from the Bard’s plays, including extracts from The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, Macbeth, Midsummers Night’s Dream and Henry VIII, performed to a panel of judges. Each piece could be either 5 or 15 minutes long. 

For the second year in a row, a Saint Kentigern student has been awarded ‘Best Overall Actor.’ Rafe MacDonald (Year 13) won the NSSP (National Shakespeare Schools Programme) Direct Entry Award. This is awarded to one student from every region of the country for the most outstanding performance on the day. 

Rafe gave a passionate performance as part of the Year 13 production of Henry VIII.  As part of the extension drama programme, these students elected to swap genders to explore what it means to be male or female, opening with pressures of the modern day, before switching to a scene from Shakespeare, as the king pursued his obsession for a male heir, making his way through six wives and changing the course of history in England forever. These students were all very strong character actors but Rafe brought an extra depth of passion to his role as one of Henry’s wives. It was a most powerful performance. 

Rafe will go to Dunedin in the October school holidays with 47 other students across the country for a week of intensive workshops. From this group, 23 of the students will be selected to perform at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London during 2019. Well done! 

With many of the students also involved in this week’s performance of Phantom, our senior drama students have been busy!