masterclass in how physical energy and emotional openness can coexist. I left asking myself: are we challenging our students enough?
Oliver!
Few musicals have the sheer communal power of Oliver!, and the London production I saw reminded me why Lionel Bart ' s score has endured for over 60 years. What struck me most was how the ensemble was treated— not as background, but as the soul of every scene. The world of Victorian London felt genuinely populated, dangerous, and alive because every single performer on stage was committed, present, and telling a story even when they weren ' t in the spotlight. This is something I intend to bring back to our rehearsal room directly. Too often in school productions, ensemble members drift when the leads take focus. Oliver! showed me what is possible when every boy on stage understands that he is essential— that the show lives or dies on his attention.
Alice in Wonderland
If Matilda and Oliver! reminded me of storytelling fundamentals, Alice in Wonderland blew the doors off entirely. This production— visually riotous, structurally bold— leaned into the surrealism of Lewis Carroll ' s source material with genuine theatrical daring. Puppetry, projection, multi-level staging, and a complete willingness to be strange made it one of the most exciting pieces of theatre I ' ve ever seen. For our school, which tends toward the classical and the musical, this was a provocation in the best sense. Why not be even more creative? Why not take more risks? Our boys have imagination to burn— I want to build productions that give that imagination somewhere to go.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Not every great show fills a vast West End house. The Tiger Who Came to Tea, based on Judith Kerr ' s beloved picture book, was staged intimately, with a small cast and minimal scenery— and it was utterly magical. The production proved something I believe deeply: theatrical impact is not a function of budget or scale. It is a function of clarity, warmth, and truth. The performers made every child in that audience feel seen and held. Watching it, I thought immediately of our younger students. Simplicity, done with total commitment, can be the most powerful choice of all.
My Neighbour Totoro
I had saved the best for last. The RSC and Improbable ' s stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli ' s My Neighbour Totoro is, without exaggeration, the most technically astonishing production I have ever witnessed. The puppetry— designed by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler of Handspring Puppet Company— was so sophisticated, so alive, that the audience around me audibly gasped when Totoro
Newsies, the fifth grade musical production in June 2025.
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