An Inter-House English Dramatics Competition was held at Auckland House School for Boys on 31 July, 2024. This competition saw collaboration between the two societies namely, The Scene Stealers Drama Company and The Literary Luminary Society. The event was judged by a panel of esteemed judges, who had a challenging task of evaluating the outstanding performances. The judges for the event were Anil Walia, Chairman, Amateur Drama Club at Gaiety Theatre, who has a rich experience of theatre and is also the Managing Director at Hotel Himland. Pallavi Mehta and Rajani Harrison, English faculty members, Auckland House School (Girls).
The performances were a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and their mentors. Each house presented a unique play, bringing to life various themes and narratives with remarkable acting skills and stage presence. The highlight of the day was comedy titled “Even Exchange” written by Paul S. Mccoy performed by Lefroy House where the protagonist of the play is Andy Page, a man who wishes to teach his wife, Effie Page, a lesson in frugality. Vedansh Verma, as Effie Page was adjudged the best actor for his role, he beautifully portrayed a resourceful woman who outsmarts her husband in his own act of teaching his wife to economize her expenses. Another true scene stealer play was “Please have a seat and someone will be with you shortly” a one act play by Garth Winfield, performed by Matthew House. This hilarious play was about two neurotic patients, David and Sue meeting for the first time in the psychologist’s waiting room. David is shy and a nerd while Sue is an extrovert. Gunagya Gupta who won the title of the Best Actor as David did justice to his role by portraying a true OCD patient, he was uncomfortable interacting with others and had difficulty in starting a conversation.
The results were eagerly awaited, and the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. The event saw spirited participation from all four houses: Durrant, French, Lefroy and Matthew. After much deliberation, the judges announced the winners. The winning house was Matthew, followed by Lefroy and Durrant with a tie at second position. Gunagya Gupta was adjudged as Overall Best Actor.
The event was a grand success, highlighting the school’s commitment to fostering artistic talent and encouraging students to explore the world of drama and theater. The Judges, Principal, extended their heartfelt congratulations to all the participants and winners.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
