Pantomime!

Students at the International Study Centre are excitedly awaiting the release of their very own pantomime DVD which should be available from Friday 14th January. They are looking forward to seeing how their show looked on the night, having worked really hard in the build up, not just rehearsing, but also helping make the costumes and props and designing and painting parts of the set.


Their production of ‘Snow White and the Seven Deadly Sins’ – a unique twist on the story of Snow White - transported the tale to Transylvania and turned it into ‘horror panto’. As ever, the audience was wonderfully supportive and the performances completely hilarious.


The cast and crew were delighted to receive rave reviews from avid pantomime fans, including the College Bursar, Peter Talbot, who had this to say: “What a masterpiece of entertainment! It really was a fantastic start to Christmas and a real ‘tour de force’ from all your remarkable students. As always I find it thoroughly humbling to think they are learning all the words in a foreign language after only a few weeks of studying in the UK — and then making it humorous. Awesome!”


The cast wowed other audience members, too. “The kids all did brilliantly! Special big shouts out to Count Von Tusrey, the Dancing Girls, and Blumenthal, but they were all great!” wrote Rebecca Wood in an email to the students. “In my humble opinion, it was the best one yet.”

High praise indeed from someone who has helped produce all the previous ISC pantomimes — and was in the audience for the first time to enjoy it.

— By Helen Wood, Director

Watch a slideshow of photos from the show

The ISC Pantomime 2009: Strictly Xinderella

For most staff and students, December means one thing: holidays. But not at the ISC. Here, December means it's time for the annual panto – this year, Strictly Xinderella.



The panto has become an important fixture in the College social calendar – and has even acquired a cult following among certain theatregoers.

'Oh, no it hasn't,' I can almost hear you say.

Oh, yes it has!

Is it the expertly prepared, professionally crafted sets that appeal most? Or the stunning colours and exquisitely cut costumes? No, let’s be honest, it’s probably just the sight of Chinese boys pretending to be British boys who are pretending to be girls that makes our panto the must-see event of the season!

The story begins in the X Factor studio, where the panel of Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Danii Minogue are portrayed as a group of stock characters trying to find a cast of talented pantomime players to appear in a new pantomime production.



You can guess who the villain is (and if you can’t, it’s Simon Cowell, or, as he’s known in the panto, Warlock Atrocidocious).

The action then shifts to the Strictly Come Dancing studio where a fantasy King and Queen are busy trying to arrange a glittering party where their son can find a wife from all the fair maidens in the land. After that, well, let’s just say it gets a bit complicated…

Always impressing is the fact that all the students, regardless of ability, play a role and are given the opportunity to improve their vocabulary and pronunciation. This year was probably the most ambitious production we’ve ever done, and the fact that it was produced a week early meant even less time to rehearse than usual. Combined with that was the fact that the cast had to contend with an epidemic of 'flu, colds and laryngitis, this was certainly a challenge. But the brave crew soldiered on and managed to give an exciting, memorable and entertaining performance.

A huge thanks is due not only to the students and staff of the ISC who worked so hard, but also to all the other staff and students of the Sixth form who helped with costumes, make up and set.

Photos from the performance (view on Flickr)



Photos from the dress rehearsal (view on Flickr)

Writeup by David Wareham