Windlesham hosts six professional performances each year (two per term) in the Malden Family Theatre at the school, encompassing music, theatre, dance and other performing arts. The events are selected for us by our MFT co-ordinator, assisted by the Malden Family Theatre committee. The performances aim to attract both the children at the school, aged 7-13, and also their parents and other adults. Every effort is made to present the advertised programme, but we reserve the right to replace or cancel any part of it.
Pluck – Musical Arson!
Tuesday 21st September 2010 7:30pm
Directed by John Fealey and Toby Sedgwick
What happens when great music falls into the hands of talented idiots?
You get the world’s most musically challenged string trio – Pluck.
As soon as they stumble onto the stage the musical arson begins.
Pluck is the group of three hilarious musicians who compete, ridicule, argue and seduce their way through Bach to Beatles.
The trio have performed at five Edinburgh Fringe Festivals (2002- 2005) and since winning the prestigious Tap Water Award at the 2003 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Pluck have gone on to astonish audiences in the UK, Europe, Australia and Asia, with their unique combination of comedy and superb musicianship.
‘Gloriously funny’
The Scotsman
‘Classical music for all shoe sizes’
Sunday Times
Join them for an evening of totally unpredictable melodic buffoonery as they wreak havoc between harmonies.
‘…a mix of sweet music and complete mayhem’
Time Out
Farm Boy by Michael Morpurgo
Thursday 14th October 2010 7:30pm
Adapted by Daniel Buckroyd
New Perspectives, the East Midlands leading touring theatre company bring Michael Morpurgo’s Farm Boy to the Malden Family Theatre this autumn.
Farm Boy is the compelling sequel to award-winning Morpurgo’s much-loved War Horse.
'I hope you like my story - I wrote it for you just to show I could.
It’s about the old tractor and it’s about Joey and it’s about me.'
Farm Boy tells the story of a grandson and his grandfather and the very special stories they share of a local farmer, a field, horses and a new fangled Fordson tractor. Told using just two actors, and a handful of props it’s a moving account of the changing face of the English countryside and the bonds linking grandfather to grandson and ultimately both to the land. The storytelling is supported throughout by an enchanting musical score.
‘Captivating: from the very first word to the last’
Audience Member
‘A Beautiful piece of work’
Farmers Weekly
‘Michael Morpurgo’s tale is so powerful – the children just can’t contain their joy’
The Stage
This is a delightful piece of theatre about the past, present and possible future of a small family farm and the special relationship between a grandfather and his grandson that means that the stories associated with this magical place will not be lost.
John Walters plays Grandfather, Matt Powell is Grandson.
Music is composed by Matt Marks and lighting is by Mark Dymock.
The tractor is created by Tim Brierley.
Harry Fenn - Review of The Story of Odyssey - Jan 2010
Lucinda Wakeford - Review of James Campbell - Apr 2009
"I think James Campbell was amazing, he was hilarious (but with fish!) and I was absolutely blown away by his performance. He was very entertaining and he involved the crowd in everything which was very cleverly done, and very impressive. His jokes were very very amusing and his use of words was fabulous. Overall, I think he was and always will be...a legend!!"
Heather Winsor - Review of Private Peaceful - Mar 2009
"Private Peaceful was an outstanding piece of theatre. It was an incredibly mature performance and the way it was performed worked very well. There was also very good use of props, such as the bed being used as the trench. There was a good balance of light-hearted moments and moving ones. It both started and ended very well, and the performance really captured the life of Tommo Peaceful. Overall, it was an enchanting performance and a piece of theatre worth five stars."
Nicholas Harper - Review of The Galliard Ensemble - Jan 2009
"The Galliard Ensemble was a brilliant show which consisted of about seven or eight beautiful pieces of classical music. All of them about a swamp. I would highly recommend this show for people who like beautiful classical music."
"Odyssey was an incredible show; it's amazing to think that all of those effects were coming from him! While the audience were walking in and getting seated, the actor lay on the floor and to be quite honest it was very surprising to see him there, it was a little scary as well. When, at last, the audience quietened, he 'woke up' and made all sorts of sound effects using just his mouth, there was just a light and him. The first part was somewhat confusing because he pretended to fast forward and then go back as if stuck on one word. When he had finished doing this, he explained the story. Every time a certain name was mentioned he would do a different action and an effect to go with it; with Odysseus he would hit his fist against his chest. When Telamacus (his son) was mentioned, he made the sound of a sword being removed from its sheath, with Penelope (his wife) he would run his hand against his cheek. Then finally, when one of the suitors of Penelope was mentioned he would follow an imaginary moustache with his hands. Overall, it was a remarkable performance."
Ed Polsue - Review of the 2 Faced Dance Company - Oct 2009
"I thought the MFT was actually very good. I really enjoyed it. At some points in the performance it was a little bit scary and frightening. For instance when they put together a cage with the trolleys, they looked like zombies! They really could hold quite difficult positions and for such a long time! In mid-air, they were suspended in space and time! I personally could never do anything of the sort! The way they could just jump off the stand and be caught by the other dancers. It was super cool. You have to be very skilled to do that sort of thing, everything was just so quick. It was amazing how they could do a sort of shaking action where you could just hear their teeth chattering. Everything was even in time, exactly in time. I thought all of the performers were really, really good. I would most definitely recommend this performance to others, especially those who are or even want to become a professional dancer when they're older. Most definitely the MFT event '2 Faced Dance Company, Still Breathing' was very much a night to remember."
Emma Gunning - Review of The Three Musketeers - Sep 2009
"I really enjoyed The Three Musketeers. Although at first I was a little worried as to how three musketeers were going to be played by two women, it worked really well and I think that if there had been more actors, it would have ruined the humour. The way that the actresses sometimes forgot they were the only two on stage was very funny. They would call on another character when there was no one to play them. They also fought over who was going to be the main character. My Lady in the blue cape was one of my favourite characters because she acted so over the top. Her voice was very good and her face expressions were also really funny. The Cardinal was great and I thought that the costume was very clever. A man from the audence was taken onto the stage to play the part of the Queen of France and was very funny, standing in a frame and pretending to be a painting and then going to the ball. Both were fabulous actors and I would definitely recommend this play to others, both old and young."
Lydia Maude - Review of The Terrible Infants - Jun 2009
"I thought The Terrible Infants was incredible. The witty use of props was very intriguing and the well rehearsed performance had the audience captivated and touched by ''Thingummyboy'. It was an unusual performance, greatly enhanced by the bizarre costumes and extraordinary musicians. It was the best choice for the last MFT of the year."