First Year Undergraduate Induction Day

In what seems certain to become a new Central School of Speech & Drama tradition, first year students from all three of the undergraduate programmes joined together at the end of their first week at Central to meet their peers and establish contacts, culminating in an outdoor promenade performance involving all 200 students, with music, choral singing and puppetry at the Swiss Cottage Open Space.

This was the second Lantern Procession eventsupported by CETT and gave students an opportunity to work together across the different courses and get to know each other.

Co-ordinated by visiting lecturer Philip Engelheart, the day consisted of workshops for voice with Jo McNally of singing group AARYA and choreography work with Stuart Angell, followed by an early evening performance as the sun went down.

As the performance time drew near it looked like the elements were against us and it would be rained off, but fortunately the clouds cleared just in time and the students, in their rainproof ponchos, took to the streets!

As the first years filed down the edge of the Swiss Cottage green space, and the brass band started playing, a crowd formed, eager to see what was going on. The performance was light hearted and energetic, watched by a mix of Central School of Speech & Drama staff and students, office workers and local residents who were just passing through.

The quick-thinking technical team was managed by Central School of Speech & Drama Alumna Alex Stone and the Student Union team, lead by SU President Emma Huet, were on hand to help out. Additional support was offered by current Central Students, tutors Paul Barker and Sara Kestelman and members of the CETT team.