West Side Story

When the arts are greatly valued and encouraged as an integral part of the school curriculum, achievement soars and pupils’ lives are permanently enriched.  

Since our grandsons were fortunate to join the Skinners’ School a decade ago, we have relished their participation in many outstanding Junior and Senior productions, as well as scores of truly splendid concerts, involving the entire school, and now the wider community. 

Iconic West Side Story, with its incredibly difficult music, was a brave undertaking, with such limited space and rehearsal time, but Mrs Kirk, Director and Choreographer, and Mr Hendry, Head of Music, with their multi-talented cast of actors, musicians and slick stage crew, rose to the challenge. This resulted in a powerful and moving production, with many fine principal actors and singers, gifted instrumentalists, and exciting group choreography. The production was further enhanced by imaginative lighting, costumes and sound effects, and an impressive souvenir programme. 

The Jets and Sharks and their girlfriends danced and sang with great passion and moved with agility on Mr Taylor’s versatile scaffold set. Particularly memorable were the sinister racial undertones of The Dance at the Gym, the deeply moving Somewhere, the hilarious rendition of Gee Officer Krupke! and the playful teasing of I Feel Pretty.  

In the final Quartet all the principal characters, together with Jets and Sharks, sang across each other in harmony, against the difficult rhythms and exciting pace of Leonard Bernstein’s music and Sondheim’s superb lyrics. We were privileged to hear such an accomplished orchestra of gifted young instrumentalists, playing music which taxes professional orchestras. 

Enormous thanks to all the Staff, past and present, who collaborated on this uplifting production of ‘West Side Story’, enabling the students to communicate its message of love and tolerance with such maturity and commitment.  

Tessa Fineman