A Rite of Passage Beneath the Willow: Leavers Take Their Final Bow
As the academic year draws to a close, the lawn beneath the willow tree once again became the stage for one of the most cherished traditions in the St John's calendar. But this year’s Leavers raised the bar in spectacular fashion—marking their final weeks not only with talent and flair, but with a Shakespearean trilogy that will be remembered for years to come.
Under dappled summer light, audiences gathered for three evenings of open-air theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, and Romeo and Juliet. Each play was masterfully woven into the fabric of the moment—offering comedy, poignancy, and beauty in equal measure.
This wasn’t just performance for performance’s sake. For our pupils, it was a rite of passage—a final shared act of creative bravery, collaboration, and reflection. Each production echoed their individual journeys: the exuberance of new friendships, the tangled fun of teamwork, and the bittersweet edge of impending goodbyes.
Standing under the willow felt like the end of a chapter… but also like the beginning of something braver.
Moments of theatrical magic came thick and fast. In Much Ado, Hero quite literally rode into her wedding on a white horse—none other than Prince, one of our Leavers' own horses, the lovely Prince, brought in especially for the occasion. The crowd gasped, then applauded, swept up in the charm of it all.
Meanwhile, Mr Chippington’s dog delivered an unexpected solo of his own—howling earnestly along to The Archers theme tune during a quiet scene change. It was unscripted, unforgettable, and somehow perfectly apt: a reminder that in live theatre (and life) the unscripted moments often steal the show.
It felt like more than a play—it felt like a farewell letter from the children to the school, written in poetry and laughter.
For our Form 6, the trilogy was not just a farewell but a formation. Through Shakespeare’s words, they found their own voices—brave, joyful, complex, and clear. As they now look beyond the willow tree to new horizons, we do so with pride and gratitude.