The four Regent’s School Houses recently engaged in fierce but friendly competition with the annual theatre sports competition, a lively series of improvisation games modeled on the well-known TV panel game ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ The tournaments were played out in the Roundhouse theatre at lunchtimes across the whole week with students from Blue House in Year 7 scoring a convincing win on the Monday.
In order to win, the teams had to bring a blend of considerable energy, creativity and fearlessness to each of the rounds, usually ignited by a single line of dialogue or object which the competitors had to rapidly change into a scene. The quick changes of mood, subject, situation and character quickly resulted in hilarious scenarios egged on by the roars of laughter and encouraging cries of the audience.
Year 7 students figuring out the object.
The well-deserving overall winners this year were Blue House, closely followed by students from Yellow House. The referee reminded the audience that improvisation does not just happen on stage but is a skill that is often applied in everyday life and which serves to boost our personal confidence and communication skills. Students were already asking about the dates of theatre sports next year so it looks very much that this particular house contest is destined to become a permanent fixture in the school calendar.
What’s that over there?
Improvising often brought our students to their knees.