Head of Francis Holland Sloane Square, Alexandra Haydon, notes: “The opportunity to perform in the West End is invaluable for our young actors and I am so grateful to everybody who made this possible. Our performers did so well with their mastery of Shakespearean language that the audience forgot it was Shakespeare, and the level of creative input from the girls themselves – including devising much of the music – was amazing, creating a hilarious, beautiful and contagiously joyful performance. This was an extraordinary feat to pull off, particularly as the girls rehearsed at the Shaftesbury for the first time on the day of the show, but teamwork made the dream work and the calibre of the performance was the true personification of the strength and spirit of our community.”
In line with the original play, our show style was themed around the idea of the moon, echoing the fact that in the time of Shakespeare’s work, people believed in the power of moon and the stars to tell their fortunes. It felt especially fitting, therefore, that Sunday coincided with the February Snow Full Moon, thought to be a celestial symbol of creative transformation. We had included some moon salutation movements into our play from traditional yoga and meditation.
Head of Drama, Emily Smyth, reflects, “One of the greatest challenges of this production has been mastering Shakespearean language, and the pupils rose to it magnificently. They worked hard to understand the rhythm, meaning, and emotion behind the text, discovering that Shakespeare’s words are not a barrier, but a gift. Their confidence and clarity have grown enormously, and it has been a pleasure to watch them make the language their own. We have also enjoyed experimenting with placing sections of the original text to music, which has added another layer of magic and helped to highlight the lyrical quality of the play.”
From Puck’s mischievous tricks and playful interferences to Oberon and Titania’s unforgettable King and Queen energy and comedy, to Bottom’s hilarious confidence, every single character added their own unique charm. The confusion and antics of the four lovers, the ethereal elegance of the woodland ensemble and the playfulness of the fairies made the forest and the force of the moon energy seem truly alive. The mechanicals’ melodramatic attempts at their play within the play (plus some extra special ‘play that goes wrong’ moments live on the night, courtesy of a forgotten cape!), had the audience laughing out loud and the timing and energy of every scene was brilliant.
As ever, our annual main school production has been built from teamwork and collaboration. The cast worked as a true ensemble, supporting one another throughout the process. Many of the creative choices, from character moments to staging ideas, came directly from the girls themselves. Their creativity, commitment and generosity of spirit have shaped this production at every stage.
The impressive history of our legendary annual theatre productions in West End or professional theatres showcases the versatility and range of our young actors, and the vision and belief of their directors. Francis Holland Sloane Square has long been famed for its excellent reputation for Performing Arts, with notable alumnae including Sienna Miller, Emerald Fennell, Emilia Fox and Gemma Jones, and every year a number of Upper Sixth leavers are awarded places at leading drama schools. Our little sisters at Francis Holland Prep share this passion for performance and were awarded a national performing arts award in 2025.
With at least 12 productions per year, varying from Physical Theatre to Classic Theatre to Musical Theatre, there are countless opportunities for girls to get involved. Beyond the curriculum, girls are frequently involved in institutions such as the National Youth Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre and the RADA Youth Theatre, and we have been able to host workshops with modern theatre companies such as Frantic Assembly and YoungBlood Fight Directors.