4e Isle of Wight Newspaper 2011

The ISCPLCSC Express
La Celle Saint Cloud
Spring 2011
Free
A British Broadway for French Students
The 4e and 5e students of the International Sections of Collège Louis Pasteur in La Celle Saint Cloud
and Collège Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinye in Noisy-leRoi went on a school trip to the Isle of Wight, England.
The students left on Sunday, 3 April, and returned on
Saturday, 9 April. They stayed in the Cliff Hall Hotel in
a town called Shanklin.
The students went to the Shanklin theatre every
day to learn the scenes with Dominic Pope, the songs
with David Redston and the dances with Jayne Morris.
They worked for three hours in the morning and afternoon and had a break at lunch and in the evening.
They went to an English supermarket, Tesco, on
Thursday and to a crafts centre on Friday. There was a
Retired Couple Share Their
Passion with Young Thespians
“I have been taking groups of French school children to the Isle of Wight for 15 years now – and I love
it!” said Barbara Fléchais, a warm-hearted retiree. We
had just spent a week with her on her 84th trip to the
theatre workshop at Shanklin, and we were curious as
to how she got into this in the first place. “I started in
1996 with David, my brother,” she said. He was
already involved in organizing small workshops with
primary children but dreamed about organizing longer
workshops with older students. At that time Barbara
was working in a bilingual school in France and realized that she might have just the customers for it. “And
that is how it started!” she added.
Barbara worked eight years with her brother before
Alain, a jovial Frenchman and her husband, joined
them in 2004. Each of them prefers different parts of
the workshop. For example, Alain enjoys all the technical aspects, such as taking pictures, filming and making
the DVDs of the shows, while Barbara prefers the
moment when the children discover the theatre on the
first day. “The other part of the workshop that I love is
to see quiet and shy children get up on stage and blossom into fabulous actors. You have to see it to believe
it!” she laughed.
Next year, Barbara and Alain will be accompanying more than 11 groups during their week-long theatre
workshop experience.
Herbot MESNARD and Santiago SWAN
disco party on Friday night after the show. Justine Henriot said, “We had lots of fun, whether it was in the
coach, in the hotel or at the theatre.”
The students went by coach from France to the Isle
of Wight. The same coach that picked them up in front
of the school early Sunday morning crossed the Channel in the Eurotunnel on a shuttle and then went on the
ferry from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight.
They were accompanied by Mrs King, Ms Kalynuk
and Mrs Rosenfeld, teachers from the international section, and by Mr and Mrs Fléchais, trip organizers.
The musical, called “Channel Hopping”, was about
four teenagers that get stuck in their television while
fighting with the remote.
Shelby BONS
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The ISCPLCSC Express
Ingenious Allied Scheme: Operation Pluto
During World War II, British scientists, international oil companies and allied armed forces developed
an idea that saved them from Hitler’s invasion. Not a
new weapon, but something to supply the troops who
were fighting to liberate France. They invented an
undersea pipeline that ran from Shanklin, on the Isle of
Wight, to Cherbourg, a town in Normandy.
The first line of Operation Pluto (Pipe-Lines Under
The Ocean) was finished in August 1944 and ran for
130 kilometres under the English Channel. Allied
forces on the European continent required tremendous
amounts of fuel and oil. The tankers could not supply
Operation Pluto commemorative plaque
this oil because they were slowed by bad weather and
were frequently attacked by German submarines. In
addition, the tankers were requisitioned for the war in
the Pacific. The terminals and pumping stations were
heavily disguised as bungalows, gravel pits, garages
and even ice cream shops! In January 1945, 300 tons of
fuel was pumped each day to France. By March, it had
increased to 40,000 tons of fuel a day.
The invention was developed by Arthur Hartley,
chief engineer with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.
The undersea pipeline was made of two types of steel
pipes. The main pipe came from an idea of the Siemens
brothers for undersea telegraph cables (HAIS pipe).
The second type was made of less flexible steel
(HAMEL pipe) and was used at the beginning and end
of the HAIS pipe.
After the war, the lines were decommissioned and
salvaged for the lead they contained. There are still 65
yards of the pipe remaining near Shanklin, and a crosssection of the actual pipe can be seen in a nearby heritage museum. All that the Collège Pasteur students
could see was a commemorative plaque. Operation
Pluto is considered one of history’s greatest feats of
military engineering.
Benjamin DE BERGEN
A Fascinating Experience
On Friday morning, the students went by coach to
Arreton Barns, a crafts village about 20 minutes outside Shanklin. They spent an hour watching artisans
working at traditional crafts.
A glass blower explained about blowing glass and
demonstrated by making a starfish and a fish. When the
glass is hot, it becomes elastic and shapeless, making it
possible to sculpt objects. Two students, Herbot Mesnard and Thomas Fenu, volunteered to blow through a
long, narrow pipe to make a glass bubble.
The clay sculptor made a lizard, showing her different techniques of working with clay. She never does
an exact representation of reality but likes to make caricatures.
A craftsman working with leather showed the students how to make holes in it with a special tool. The
piece of leather was passed round and dyed dark brown
with a paintbrush.
“The clay sculptor did a good job, even when she
was working quickly,” said Shelby Bons. “And the
glass blowing was impressive. “As it was his first day,
the leather worker didn’t have all the tools needed and
seemed nervous,” added Pauline Williamson.
Before leaving, the students bought souvenirs of
clay and glass figurines.
Lisa WILLIAMSON
Arreton Barns crafts village
Cliff Hall Hotel lobby
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The ISCPLCSC Express
Admiral's House
Becomes a Hotel
This magnificent hotel, built in
1854 in a Victorian style, is located
on the Isle of Wight. It was first the
private house of an admiral, the
commander-in-chief of a fleet. In
the early 1900s, it became a girls’
school. From 1939 to 1945, it
served as a hospital for English and
Canadian pilots. It finally became a
hotel in the early 1970s. It is now
run by two families. This is why
this hotel is full of history.
It is located in the small traditional town of Shanklin, a very
popular seaside resort on the east
coast of Sandown Bay. It is a wellknown touristic place. There are
beaches and esplanades, and the
view on the sea is beautiful. This is
why the Cliff Hall Hotel is well
situated on the Isle of Wight. This
hotel is located a short walk from
Small Hope Beach, Hope Beach,
Shanklin Chine and the old village.
“It was good; there were bathrooms, beds. It is a
nice hotel in general, even though we couldn't go in
other bedrooms,” said a student who preferred to
remain anonymous.
Leoul DANIEL
Tesco: From Rags to Riches
Tesco is a general merchandise and grocery
retailer. It was founded by Jack Cohen in 1919 when
he started to sell groceries from a small London stall. It
now has 2715 locations in Europe, North America and
even Asia.
In 1929 the very first Tesco opened its doors.
When Cohen bought a shipment of tea from T.E.
Stockwell, he decided to use those initials and the first
two letters of his surname to name his new store.
At first it only sold groceries. Today it also provides books, furniture, petrol, software, clothing, electronics, financial services, internet, music downloads
and telephone services. It is the third largest retailer in
the world after Carrefour and Wal-Mart. It is much bigger than regular French supermarkets and offers a
much greater diversity in products. Annabelle Rohm
commented “The only difference is that Tesco has
much more Coke than French supermarkets.”
Hotel Owner
Shares Secrets
ISCPLCSC: Is this a family business?
Mike: Yes, as my partner and I
married twin sisters. I’m a trained
chef, and Mark is trained in hotel
management. So we all work well
together.
ISCPLCSC: Do you prefer private
clients or schools?
Mike: I have to say school groups
as they are easier.
ISCPLCSC: Is this your first hotel?
Mike: Yes.
ISCPLCSC: How long have you
had it?
Mike: Seven years.
ISCPLCSC: Why did you choose
the Isle of Wight?
Mike: We have always been
attracted to the Isle of Wight, and it
is a popular tourist island.
ISCPLCSC: How many rooms does the hotel have?
Mike: The hotel has 26 rooms including triples, singles, twins and family-size rooms.
ISCPLCSC: What services does the hotel offer?
Mike: Our hotel offers organised trips, a café/restaurant, seasonal evening entertainment and ferry booking.
ISCPLCSC: What facilities does the hotel offer?
Mike: The facilities that we have included in the price
are an outdoor swimming pool, a licensed bar, colour
TV in the rooms, high chairs, central heating and a
game room. The hotel also offers two car parks, sea
views and group discounts.
Clémence DE PONCHEVILLE
The students spent 45 minutes shopping at Tesco.
Most students spent their time in the candy section,
buying chocolates of English brands such as Cadbury.
Nevertheless, some of the children bought films and
games from the electronics section. One of the most
interesting and original purchases was a Justin Bieber
doll, which was planned to be destroyed in the worst
ways possible.
Ryan MATTHEWS
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The ISCPLCSC Express
What David Redston Said
ISCPLCSC: With which instru-
David Redston is the musical director of Spotlight, the
company that runs the theatre workshops. After a long
and successful career in music and entertainment,
David now teaches songs to students during the workshops.
ment did you start playing
music?
David: I started with the oboe. I
didn’t want to play a musical
instrument that everyone plays,
like the piano.
ISCPLCSC: Where were you born? Is there any place
you’ve lived that has been important in your life?
David: I was born in south London. It’s the Isle of
Wight, really, that has made a difference.
ISCPLCSC: What is your favourite instrument?
David: I prefer bass clarinet. Each time I write, I think
of how it would sound with a clarinet. I love the sound
of it!
ISCPLCSC: How would you describe your personality?
David: Dull. I mean, what I love about my job is being
behind, in the background. I’m quite shy. When we
play on stage, I like very much being at the back. I
couldn’t do what Dom does. He is – and Jayne – very
outgoing. I would be terrified at the front!
ISCPLCSC: Do you remember any funny or interesting
anecdotes from your previous or current job?
David: Well, it’s a very lonely job I have. I’m usually
on my own writing songs. The only funny things which
happen are what I do, really! (laughs) Yes, I remember
once when there was a show for which we had hardly
rehearsed, and I had a list of songs I had to play in
order each time someone came on stage. Unfortunately,
just before the show, they swapped the order of the
songs! So when the person came in, I started playing
the song I thought I had to play, and the person – realising that it wasn’t his song – walked off stage! (laughs
again) I thought that was quite funny!
ISCPLCSC: Have you already been at the front of the
stage, when you were small?
David: Yes, when I was very small. But I really hated
it!
ISCPLCSC: Have you always wanted to play music?
Why did you decide to do so?
David: I was actually around 12 years old. I was quite
late starting. It was the only thing I was good at. I
didn’t do very well at school!
Jayne Morris
Danced Around
the World
Jayne Morris is a professional dancer. She has
loved dancing since she was a girl and studied dance at
Stella Mann College for three years. After that, she
worked around the world as a dancer for five years.
She spent two years on a cruise ship, dancing before
the 4000 passengers. She was a show girl in Spain,
Italy and other countries. She has appeared in ten Bollywood movies and several pop videos.
Today, Jayne Morris is part of Spotlight, and
with friends Dom and David, she takes in charge
groups of children and teaches them a show to perform.
She creates the choreography for each song. Jayne also
works with First Act, a theater organization resembling
Spotlight, only for youngsters 4 to 18 years old with
learning disabilities.
She likes pop music and said, “I like Lady Gaga,
Rihanna, and I love chill out kind of music. It is kind of
slow disco music.”
Inès MARGUERET
ISCPLCSC: Well, thank you very much. This has been
very interesting!
Pauline WILLIAMSON
The Surprising Career
of Dominic Pope
Dominic Pope has lived in Shanklin on the Isle of
Wight since he was ten years old. Before obtaining a
degree in philosophy from Warwick University,
Dominic worked in the “U Theatre” with David Redston. Dom is 36 years old and still works with David
and Jayne Morris, with whom he went to drama school,
organising theatre workshops for schools in the
Shanklin Theatre. He also teaches drama in a drama
school.
The ISCPLCSC Express got a closer look a Dom’s
career.
ISCPLCSC: First of all, why did you choose to study
philosophy? What did you like about it ?
Dom: Well, I wasn’t really passionate about philosophy, but I found arguing interesting.
ISCPLCSC: How did you became a professional
actor? How did you start theatre?
continued on p. 5
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The ISCPLCSC Express
Pope, continued from p. 4
ISCPLCSC: Do you have other interests than theatre?
Dom: Well, actually I didn’t start as an actor. At first I
worked backstage. I started theatre when I was 15. At
first I went to see girls performing from my school.
That’s how I discovered acting. I liked showing off.
And one day I got a job as an actor. I accepted and
apparently I was pretty good at it, so I became professional.
Dom: Of course! I love poker, television, Playstation
3, pub bands and bird watching!
ISCPLCSC: You are not only an actor but a writer as
well, right? What kind of shows do you write? Which
plays of yours do you prefer?
Dom: Yes, I am also a writer. I mostly write Christmas
shows for children. I love pantomimes! Of all that I’ve
written, I really don’t have a preferred show.
ISCPLCSC: Haha! Without going too far into private
details, do you have children?
Dom: No, I don’t. I am single.
ISCPLCSC: Well, thanks a lot,
Dominic! And good luck for the
rest of your career!
Dom: You’re welcome, it was a
pleasure!
Romain THIEBAUTPEYNICHOU
Coach Driver Alert
Shanklin Theatre on the Isle of Wight
Discovering English Food
At the Cliff Hall Hotel, the French students ate
typical English food as part of their cultural experience.
They had a choice between a typical English dish and
food they were used to for each meal. For example, for
lunch they had a choice between ham, cheese or marmite sandwiches. Some of them tried marmite and held
a competition to see who could finish their marmite
sandwich first. “It tastes like tar!” Santiago Swan said.
“The English food was quite good, even though I didn’t
taste the traditional food. I loved the baked beans,
bacon and eggs,” Mark Gondoin said.
English food is a little bit different. They do not
have good cheese and wine. However, they have their
own specialties. For example, they eat bacon, eggs and
beans on toast for breakfast. Also, English candies and
fudge are Isle of Wight specialties. “English candies
are very original and funny!” Leoul Daniel said.
To be honest, few students tried typical English
food like the cottage pie or the sausages and mash.
However, they now know a little bit more about traditional English cuisine.
Tom LEPRINCE-RINGUET
Gilles Le Cam was the coach driver for the weeklong Isle of Wight trip. He chose to accompany the
group because he enjoys trips to Great Britain.
Before he became a coach driver, Gilles was a
director in a coach company where he decided to
accept trips or not and then assigned the drivers. Frustrated with the job of boss, he decided to become a
coach driver himself in July 2003.
A coach driver does not need special training,
only a special driver’s license (D permit). Each driver
also needs to be “always full of energy, in a good
mood, responsible, prudent and if you are tired, stop,”
Le Cam said.
There are occasional bad experiences. Once Le
Cam was stuck at the end of a dead-end road with his
coach and had to drive in reverse for one kilometer.
He was afraid he might hit cars on both sides of the
road as he carefully backed out.
Le Cam accompanies football teams as well as
school groups. He does not drive public transportation
buses. He travels all around Europe. His longest trip
was to Sweden,
done with several
different coaches
changing off. The
longest trip he did
alone was 12 hours
from Paris to Val
d’Izere. He most
enjoys the trips to
Great Britain and
Ireland.
Justine HENRIOT
and
Annabel ROHM
A cream tea in Shanklin
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The ISCPLCSC Express
Flick Flick Flick Never Stopping,
The students had only five days to master a play
written by professional actor Dominic Pope. Although
they were not always confident about their lines and
songs, the show turned out to be a success.
“Channel Hopping” is the story of a group of four
friends who get sucked into their television while fighting over the remote control. They are zapped into
news, westerns, reality and science fiction shows,
among others, and are confronted with many problems
which prevent them from getting back to the real
world. It is an original and funny play which makes fun
of the serious situation the children are in.
The show
was made as simple as possible
and mostly relied
on the students’
acting and on the
musical choreography created by
Jayne Morris. For
every character,
the costume was a
simple black outfit. Very few
props were used,
such as a cowboy
hat, a toy pistol
and a chair. No
scenery was used.
Coloured spotlights were used
to light the stage
wall to suggest a
certain situation such as outer space or a western-like
orange sky. The sound effects and music were provided
by David Redston on the synthesizer and his son on the
drums.
The simplicity of the costumes and stage props
was not a drawback. Most of the effort was put into
staging, acting, singing and dancing. All the speaking
parts were approximately the same length. Auditions
were held in order to assign the role which would best
suit each student according to their talents and personalities. Therefore, it is obvious that a lot of work was
put into the creation of the play.
In all, “Channel Hopping” was a successful production considering the fact the students had only five
days to learn and rehearse it. Coming straight from the
imagination of
Dominic Pope,
Jayne Morris and
David Redston, a
fun and innovative
show was born. A
show to catch on
DVD as soon as
you get the
chance!
Mark GONDOIN
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The ISCPLCSC Express
Click Click Click Channel Hopping!
The international section bilingual students performed “Channel Hopping”, a musical comedy
directed and written by Dominic Pope, with choreography by Jayne Morris and music composed by David
Redston, in the Shanklin Theatre on Friday afternoon.
The basic plot of the show is four students who
are sucked into their TV and who visit TV shows with
the help of their remote control. But during their first
trip to Tumbleweed, a western show, Chris (Thomas
Fenu) and Louise (Anaïs Adams), get stuck in this
show. The citizens of Tumbleweed are scared because
of the arrival of the evil Big Jim Bear. The townspeople think that Chris is the Sheriff and that if Big Jim
Bear wants to take the town, he will have to kill the
Sheriff. The two other teenagers, Russell (Timothée
Xanthopoulos) and Vicky (Yasmeen Karkachi) have to
figure out how to get back to Tumbleweed and save
Chris from Big Jim Bear in time.
Although the four teenagers and Big Jim Bear had
a lot of text, all of the students had speaking parts and
played important roles. That is probably one of the factors why this show was such a success. The energy was
absolutely brilliant! The students put all of their effort
into this show and were proud of what they had done.
They deserved every bit of the applause. The audience
was sparse, but they laughed at the gags and appreciated the show.
My favourite character was definitely Big Jim
Bear, excellently played by Mark Gondoin. The play is
a parody, and the role of Big Jim Bear is an important
element in the parody of a western; the country accent
used in westerns was effectively exaggerated by Mr.
Gondoin to hilarious effect.
Every time lighting effects were used, they created
a mood like mystery or sadness. For the song “Magic
in the Air”, multi-coloured gels were used to show fantasy and joy. Or, for example, for the aliens there was
dim lighting to create a mysterious mood of the
unknown. Otherwise, there was always full lighting.
The traditional blackout was used to indicate scene
changes.
I must say the costumes were not
so fascinating. Everyone was dressed in
black outfits. However, props were
used to distinguish between the four
teenagers, Big Jim Bear with his gang
and the aliens. Moreover, these props
were also too simple: five hats, four
blazers, a cardboard TV remote control
and six shiny short-sleeved coats for
the aliens. On the other hand, this simplicity gave a certain style which did
not take away from the show’s success.
Overall the show deserved five
stars.
Thomas FENU
The International
Section Collège Pasteur
La Celle Saint Cloud Express