Welcome Back - Hurtwood House Newsletter

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March 2012, Issue 1
HURTWOOD
for alumni and friends
Welcome Back
Est 1970
Hurtwood House School, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NU
I
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am so pleased to be back in touch with you, and
now that technology has made it easier to bring us
closer together, I hope that this “e-magazine” will be
the first of many that bring you news of Hurtwood.
Such a lot goes on here and I would like you to feel a
continuing part of it. Now that I am mostly retired and therefore an Old Hurtwoodian myself, it has brought
home to me the importance of keeping everybody in touch. We haven’t done half
enough over the years in this respect, but we are determined to make up for lost
time and we are making a real effort to find out where everyone is. It’s a
monumental task, because after 42 years there are more than 5000 Hurtwood
alumni out there somewhere.
Anyway, this is just a beginning. We have all sorts of plans, and dream of huge
reunion dinners at Park Lane hotels etc etc. In the meantime, please enjoy this first
edition, and do please send us your news, because
this is about you as much as it is about us.
Richard Jackson
Hurtwood began life in 1970 at Leith Hill Place.
There were just 17 students and 7 staff.
Today there are 330 students and 150 staff.
The school moved to its current home, Hurtwood House, in 1974.
Since the school began over 5000 students have passed through its doors.
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Les Misérables has now, finally, come to Hurtwood!
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An iconic scene, the revolution begins
We Finally Did It!
A student eye view of the show.
or years people have questioned many
things at Hurtwood House: ‘How will I
avoid getting snowed in over Christmas?’
‘Why are all the drama teachers slightly, albeit
fantastically insane?’ And of course, ‘Oh what’s on
the menu for lunch?’ But when it comes to
Hurtwood and its various fames, there was no question more
burning than ‘Why haven’t you lot done Les Misérables yet?’
When Clive, our courageous Head of Drama, announced that
the legendary show was to be our 2011 Christmas Musical,
after years of pigeon-stepping around the daunting, renowned
and beloved show, the reactions were huge. The staff were
ecstatic. The receptionists were inundated with parents
immediately demanding tickets. The stage management
gulped and rolled up their sleeves. The directors crossed their
fingers and gritted their teeth, while the to-be cast just sat in
slack-jawed
amazement,
excitement, and terror.
And rightly so.
As many of you will
remember, the
Christmas Musical at
the best of times is no
Peter Bergin plays the charismatic leader Enjolras
mean feat. The endless
weekend rehearsals,
You may remember some of the spectacular shows pulled off the rising tempers of
both staff and student,
here at Hurtwood over the years, including Grease and
recently A Christmas Carol. But a big name is missing from the the late night runs, the
relentless and aptlylist… The West End’s longest running musical, tallying in at
worded ‘drilling’ of
over 7,000 performances on Broadway alone.
scenes, the ominous
‘Tech Run’ and those
dreaded words - ‘Right
AGAIN FROM THE TOP
EVERYONE!’
Ryan Heenan plays the heroic
Jean Valjean
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But just as
Les Misérables topped the bill!’
Hurtwood has
The show’s highlights included a suicide fall from the height of
always risen to the
challenge, we drove
through, constantly
reassuring ourselves
in the words of Act
One’s finale
number; ‘one more
day, one day more!’
Javert’s dramatic suicide
After weeks of
sleepless nights and
diminishing grades
the performances
were nigh and all
involved had given –
quite literally –
blood, sweat and
tears. The stage was
set, the audience in,
the lights dimmed,
and the curtain up.
What was seen on
Hurtwood’s stage
for the next two weeks was widely regarded as, undeniably,
one of Hurtwood’s biggest and best musical to date.
The Wedding Chorale
the set into an eerie fog, a wedding scene crammed with
lavishly elaborate 17th century gowns and wigs, street scenes
where the set spun and actors appeared to be walking on top
of crowds, and – of
course – the iconic battle
on the barricade where
eventually there were
bodies falling off and
strewn across the set.
The ambition, scope,
polish and detail of the
production makes it
easily one of the school’s
most successful shows.
Thanks and credit are
owed to the amazing
back-stage staff including
stage management,
lighting and sound, the
professional West End
band we were lucky
enough to have, and the
ever-erratic, foreverfantastic set of directors
including the Master of
the House himself, Clive.
Rose Salvage as the tragic
The cast were alright too.
Fantine
But for now, you can share in a little taste of Hurtwood’s latest
Christmas Musical through the pictures shown here, and ask
yourself – Do You Hear The People Sing?
Jeremy James Taylor, Founder of the prestigious National
Youth Music Theatre, even wrote a letter to the head,
explaining how having seen 35 years of ‘hundreds – quite
possibly thousands – of school and college productions…
Zara Brownless
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es Miserables marks the end of a long career at
Hurtwood; Clive Wouters, Head of Theatre and
Performing Arts is retiring after 17 years. Our editor
Daniel Huf interviews him about his time here and his plans
for the future.
You talk of the
“Hurtwood
treadmill”, and I
think all our
readers will
remember the
rigor of the
Hurtwood
experience, how
did you find the
energy needed to
put on such
magnificent
shows every year?
Clive Wouters
I don’t know. Especially because for the last 12 years I have
worn two hats, Head of the Theatre Department and Head of
Performing arts. Under the first hat I’m responsible for the
academic side of the Theatre Department but under the
second I’m involved in all of the shows Hurtwood puts on. I
suppose my energy came from passion, though it helped that I
didn’t have to deal with a family when I got home. I get
satisfaction from doing things well, so I inevitably put in a lot
of energy to get everything right.
Sweet Charity, 2003
What was your background before coming to
Hurtwood and how did you become Head of
Theatre?
After university I was an actor for about five years before
becoming an English teacher at a grammar school. I decided
to stay in schools but became involved in theatre again as
Director of Drama at Eastbourne College, where I first
encountered Hurtwood House. I was qualified as an examiner
of theatre exams and noted the quality of the Hurtwood
theatre department, so when the Head of Theatre position
became available I came in for an interview.
After being so long at Hurtwood how does it feel
to be leaving?
I feel… it’s time to go. I am proud of the productions I have
been involved in and the students I have taught but at 61
I am ready to get off the Hurtwood treadmill. My experience
at Hurtwood has definitely been positive but was certainly
exhausting.
Are there any shows that you would pick out as
your favorites?
I can think of a few… West Side Story was the first production
of the current team that has worked together since 2001:
Andy, Miles, Neil, and myself. We wrote our own adaptation
of Cyrano de Bergerac that was special because we could
really create something completely new. We were also told
that our version of We Will Rock You was better than the West
End production.
All Shook Up, 2009
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The best was probably Les Miserables however; we had
wanted to do it for some time so the fact that it came
together so well really made it a great end to my career.
Cyrano, 2004
What were
some of the
worst mishaps
during a show?
Well you try to
forget those but I
can remember
during Moby-Dick
we had a power-cut
Clive as Fagin
and had to finish
without any lights or effects. Also during We Will Rock You
the lead, Luke Brady, lost his voice, so we had two people sing
and speak his lines as he walked the part.
“Clive has not only been an inspiration to many Hurtwood
students over the years but a pillar of strength and
What are your plans for the future?
reassurance to a department made up of nutters! If anyone
Well I would like to develop my visual art and speak better
has earned a retirement it is him! All the best.” Doug Quinn
French. I would also like
“Clive is a gent. He has looked after me, defended me and
to become more
advised me on many many occasions and I am very thankful
involved in volunteer
for that. He has a very dark, sharp wit which has exploded on
work, at the moment I’m
all who have heard it in it's unwrapped, rare form. Clive will
involved with the
be seriously missed in more ways than we can imagine at
Cranleigh Art Centre and
present!” Simon Hudson
‘talking newspapers’ for
the blind. As for my
“You couldn’t say he was too school for cool.
bucket-list… Well I
But he wouldn’t dig it if you
would like to travel,
told him he was cool.
especially to India to find
But the fact is … he is.
traces of my father who
Cos he’s no man’s fool.
died while I was quite
He’s led a hip ship without
young. I also have ideas
shooting from the hip.
about writing a book,
Armed instead.
maybe a satirical novel
With deadly lead.
Clive leading rehearsals
about a school in the
From a million quick quips
surrey hills!
from the lip.
He can polish tarnish and
If you had to sum up your time at Hurtwood in
strip the varnish from
three words, what would they be?
garnish.
Intolerance, belligerence,
Inspirational, exhausting, and entertaining.
intransigence, even
Daniel Huf arrogance.
He don’t get his clout from
We Will Rock You, 2008
“I have no idea how Clive has managed to cope with the
lounging
about.
varied, disparate, creative, ego-led and demanding mis-fits
He isn’t one of life’s shouters.
that form the Performing Arts and Theatre departments at
Hurtwood. Clive has been a pleasure to work with, supportive No, Clive is alive with gentle sedition.
Yeh he’s a limited edition. Yeh. You got it… He’s Clive Wouters.
to both staff and students, with a dry wit and wise words. A
See Far. Paint well. Teacher. Friend.” Andy Johnson
fine leader who will be sorely missed." Miles Russell
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house. Leith Hill still holds a special place in many
people’s hearts. Who could forget the infamous Leith
Hill disco, the big green bus, or even the Hurtwood
girls who would “jog” over of a morning to catch that
same green bus into school with the boys? Sadly,
that wonderful Leith Hill era ended four years ago,
when the building was handed back to the National
Trust.
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Thankfully, when one door closes, another one opens
ast week I heard a teacher explaining to a
and in September 2007, Cornhill Manor in Ewhurst (just
student the differences between the various
down the hill from Ewhurst Place) became the new kid
Hurtwood boarding houses. “Some have larger
grounds, while others have a bigger TV room. Some have
more students, while others have fewer,” he said. “But
whichever house a student ends up living in, they
invariably feel a huge sense of belonging, affinity and
loyalty to that particular house.” Those words could not
be more true for the students who were affectionately
known as the ‘Leith Hill boys’.
Alas, the Leith Hill Place that many of us knew and loved
is no longer a Hurtwood boarding house. In 2008,
Hurtwood House said goodbye to this very long-standing
member of its team.
Cornhill Manor
on the boarding house block. Nowhere could ever truly
replace Leith Hill and all the wonderful things it brought
to those who were lucky enough to be part of it, but
Cornhill is definitely matching up in its own way. This
mixed house is home to 44 students, their housemaster
Ted Jackson, his wife, four children, two dogs and a cat!
Cornhill is a beautiful manor house which dates back
over 300 years to 1691 and is set in stunning grounds
with a tennis court and basketball ‘D’. Over the last four
and a half years there has been much laughter, some
Leith Hill Place
drama and, inevitably, the occasional tear. Cornhill
Manor has a long way to go before it earns the
In its time, this beautiful house was run by some unique legendary status of Leith Hill Place, but one thing is for
characters who many of you will remember fondly: Miss sure – it’s well on its way!
Moore, David Broome, Alan and Angie Morgan and
finally Roy Bickenson, who now runs the day student
Sophie Jackson
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Many of the theatre photos used in this issue can be found
online at markdeanphotostage.co.uk
use the code hhtheatre
This newsletter was brought to you by:
Zara Brownless, Robert Cooper, Daniel Huf,
Sophie Jackson and Josh Lloyd Lyons.
Hurtwood House School, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NU