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Sherlock Holmes returns to Regents
Ani Shahsuvaryan, Year
13 IB Theatre
The Regent’s School Pattaya recently had some very
special visitors: the wonderful Performance Exchange Theatre Company. They
gave an excellent theatre workshop on the background and practice of Kabuki
Theatre followed, in the afternoon, by a spellbinding performance of The
Return of Sherlock Holmes to Years 7-9 students and the older students
studying Drama.
Got, Yulia and Pam enjoy the
workshop.
A packed Globe Theatre had the privilege of experiencing
a performance from Daniel Foley, an actor and director, and the other actors
in the Performance Exchange Company, Nigel Mills-Thomas and his son Dan in
‘The Return of Sherlock Holmes’. The Regent’s School Pattaya were pleased to
share their theatre with two local schools - Garden International School and
St Andrew’s - that made up a large and appreciative audience.
Daniel Foley led a morning workshop on Japanese Kabuki to
the Year 13 IB Theatre class. They began with a focused warm-up which
included careful stretching and balancing exercises. He encouraged them to
focus on the quality of their movement through a series of slow-motion
gestures and stylized walking.
Foley shared the historical background of Kabuki theatre
with the students, including information on costuming and make-up. Focusing
on an excerpt from one of the Kabuki plays, they were given a short piece of
dialogue to learn which they had to match to the precise Kabuki movement.
The students added facial expressions to really try to penetrate to the
emotional heart and meaning of the play which centered on a man experiencing
a spiritual journey and a cleansing of his soul, with a performance from the
students after. Feeling like they had been on individual journeys of their
own, The Regent’s School Pattaya’s students really benefited from the
enjoyable and stimulating session.
The play housed in the Globe Theatre began with Dr
Watson, played by Daniel, remembering his friend and mentor, the legendary
detective Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street London and his eventual probable
death at the hands of his arch-enemy the fiendish Professor James Moriarty
at the Reichenback Falls in Switzerland.
However, Holmes did not die; he returns in disguise, much
to the amazement of his old-friend Holmes and the audience! The play showed
Holmes telling of his adventures since his supposed death and his quest to
solve further unsolved mysteries. The play really captured the attention of
the audience: despite little in the way of scenery and costumes, the actors
were able to capture the essence of their characters and the different
locations shown in the play. Their use of timing, stillness, silence and
vocal projection were all excellent in a performance which was at times
genuinely creepy and even funny in bizarre ways.
The actors rounded off their successful visit to the
school by answering questions where the audience could explore their
drama-based backgrounds. Daniel Foley has had extensive drama training and
appeared in more than 200 stage productions and Nigel Mills-Thomas has
played parts in many drama and TV productions including episodes of Grange
Hill and even the highly acclaimed Dr Who.
Performance Exchange Theatre
Company actors Daniel Foley, Nigel Mills-Thomas and son Max answer students’
questions following their performance.
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Forget the London Games -
we’ve got the Egg and Spoon Race!
We did it! Students celebrate
a victory.
Words by Mark Beales
Photos by Ritche Guisona
Primary students from Garden International School Rayong have been competing
in the House Mini Olympics.
While the world may have been watching the real Olympics in London,
youngsters from Garden, which is based in Ban Chang, Rayong, took part in
their own games. Among the events they took part in were the ‘Ball Relay’,
‘Egg and Spoon race’, ‘Bean Bag Relay’, ‘Tennis Racket Relay’, ‘Sack Race’
and ‘Ball Relay’.
Results just in show that the leading Houses are Gecko and Tiger, with Eagle
in second spot and Cobra fourth.
Having fun in the Ball Relay.
Leaping ahead in the Sack
Relay...
Things were getting serious in
the Ball Relay.
Students become teachers
Some advice for the Spot the Difference
game.
Mark Beales
Students from Garden International School (GIS) Rayong are becoming teachers
- to help spread English.
IB students prepared their own lessons as part of their CAS (Community,
Action, Service) activity. They have then been taking turns to visit a Thai
school in Ban Chang, near GIS, to help teach students there how to speak
English.
So far, activities have included Spot the Difference games, songs and
conversation challenges.
You can do it! An IB student
helps youngsters speak English.
Thai students all enjoyed the
challenge of learning more English by playing games.
Happy days at Dek Dee: PILC helping to care for underprivileged children
(L to R) Kindergarten manager
Porn, Thomas Serbe from Dow Chemicals, Gillian Thom (sister of Dek Dee
Founder Susan Thom), PILC president Ann Winfield, PILC welfare chair Helle
Rantsen, and Hans Schoof-Hetroys from Dow Chemicals.
Helle Rantsen
You can’t help being impressed after a visit to the Dek Dee kindergarten in
Ban Chang. For a number of years, school manager Porn and her staff have
been caring for about 40 to 50 children, all in the age group from two to
five. Most of the children come from very low income and single parent
families and at Dek Dee, they are given the opportunity to study and being
cared for during their parents’ working hours in a safe and secure
environment.
The Pattaya International Ladies Club has been instrumental in supporting
the school through charitable contributions. Recently, Hans Schoof-Hetroys
and Thomas Serbe, representatives from Dow Chemicals, visited the very well
organised kindergarten together with PILC president Ann Winfield, welfare
chair Helle Rantsen, and club member Gillian Thom, whose sister founded the
kindergarten. PILC has been supporting Dek Dee for a number of years and
generous donations from Dow Chemicals has made it possible to continue the
much needed support.
The staff working in Dek Dee ensures that the group of preschool children
receive the very best educational back ground before their start in primary
school.
All the children and the staff say a big thank you to Dow Chemicals and PILC
and hope that they will visit again soon.
Children at Dek Dee thank Dow
Chemical and PILC for their generous donation.
Dek Dee Students.
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Pattaya Arunothai School celebrates 40 years
Suwat Rotchatwattanakul (2nd left), vice
president of Nongprue PAO, presents flowers congratulating Suwat Nongyai,
school licensee, with Waraporn Jandech, director of Pattaya Arunothai
School, on the school’s 40th Anniversary.
Warunya Thongrod
Pattaya Arunothai School celebrated its 40th anniversary with a merit-making
ceremony.
Jakrapong Suwannarasmee, deputy director of Chonburi Primary Education
Office Region 3, and Principal Waraporn Jandech joined area politicians,
students and teachers in celebrating the Sept. 20 anniversary.
The school invited nine monks from Chonglom Temple to perform religious
ceremonies and sprinkle holy water on executives. Lunch followed, along with
a presentation of robes and necessities.
After the ceremony, school officials and politicians lined up for a friendly
game of football.
Arunothai School was founded by Bunsuan Nongyai on Sept. 20, 1972 with Suwat
Nongyai serving as principal. In 1994, Suwat took over as licensee and, in
2005, Waraporn was appointed as principal. The school offers classes from
kindergarten to Mathayom 3.
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PILC make a donation
to the Camillian Center
PILC president Ann Winfield, Camillian Center
director Father Peter, and PILC welfare chair Helle Rantsen with the club’s
donation to the Center.
Ann Winfield
Members of the Pattaya International Ladies Club recently paid a
visit to the Camillian Center in Rayong to deliver a check for 60,000 baht
that represented PILC’s donation to the Center. The donated funds go to buy
much needed food supplements for children suffering from HIV and AIDS who
reside at the Center.
The Camillian Center was established in 1995 to provide shelter and care to
homeless, indigent, and rejected people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
Special emphasis was placed on women and children, as they were the most
vulnerable members of society. It was one of the first activities opened in
Asia to accommodate and help sick orphan children living with HIV/AIDS.
PILC president Ann Winfield and welfare chair Helle Rantsen were given a
tour of the facilities and met with residents and staff members. President
Ann Winfield said, “The sense of tranquility and peacefulness were
immediately noticeable as one entered the premises. Staff members and
residents went about their business with a complete sense of belonging and
family unity. The facilities are well-laid out, spotlessly clean and easily
accessible to all. I am very happy that the members of PILC are able to
donate funds to help ease the suffering of the children who live here.”
Father Peter Phakhawi Sengcharoen, head of the Center was most appreciative
of PILC’s donation, and said, “I, on behalf of all the members of Camillian
Social Center Rayong, would like to give you, PILC, our sincere thanks for
all your kindness. And I feel I am blessed once more to have people like you
helping us. We can do nothing without the assistance of others. Thank you
again for your presence today and for all that you have done for us today
and in the past.”
Father Peter then went on to invite all members of PILC to visit at any time
to have lunch with the children and staff and to take a tour of the
facilities.
PILC is a non-profit, non-political group organized to support international
women in developing friendships, and to help expatriates settle into the
community by providing social, cultural, and philanthropic opportunities.
Please contact [email protected] if you would like more information about
the Club.
Children and staff make Christmas Cards to send
all over the world.
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