Britten’s Opera Realised by Magical Prior Park Production

08 Jan 2014

Prior Park College’s version of Benjamin Britten’s “Noye’s Fludde” (Noah’s Flood) was a hit, with a sell-out audience filling the school’s Chapel and rave reviews concerning the quality of the acting and the mesmerising staging.

These two sell-out performances of “Noye’s Fludde” had been timed to celebrate two key events in the musical calendar- the centenary of Benjamin Britten’s birth, as well as the feast day of St Cecilia, the patron saint of music.

The performances, which were held in the College’s beautiful Chapel, involved an enormous cast comprising Sixth Formers playing the lead roles, all the way down to pupils in Year 5 and 6 at Prior Park College’s junior school, The Paragon. The Paragon children were a huge hit, wearing some astonishingly effective home-made headdresses to represent the beasts. The whole effect was spectacular, with fantastic lighting to set off the hugely effective scenery, as well as an extremely talented student orchestra who accompanied the entire performance.,

Eden Carroll, Upper 6 boarding student, gave a fantastic performance as Noye, understanding perfectly the demands of the role. There were equally strong performances from all the other key cast members, namely Maria Torres as Mrs Noye, James Roper as God, Sylvan Biscoe, Georgia Entwistle, Cameron Wight, Toby Wight, Toby Wilson, Sarah Clayton, Josh Greacen and Millie Smith.

Associate Director of Music at Prior Park, Mr David Sackett, was the energy behind the production as producer. Headmaster James Murphy-O’Connor watched the production as Headmaster and parent of one of the younger cast members and commented: “It was a joy from start to finish. I am sure Benjamin Britten would have wholeheartedly approved and given his blessing. Another extraordinary production that combined the talents of our senior and junior schools.”