Last week was a busy one in Hereford Cathedral School’s Drama Department, with not one but two after-school workshops delivered by acclaimed local theatre companies Feral Productions and Open Sky Productions, as well as the launch of this year’s Year 8 and 9 Play.
On Monday, Year 10 and Year 12 pupils enjoyed working with Ant Stones (OH), an associate artist with Feral, who took them through a workshop that explored devising and storytelling, with a focus on the stories of local farming communities. Feral have been working with charity We Are Farming Minds, finding out more about life in our local farming communities and exploring the experience together in artistic ways. The workshop enabled students to work on developing character and situation in response to monologues and scenes that have been written following interviews held with local farmers. Those in attendance were struck by the powerful and moving stories that were shared with Feral, and described feeling “inspired”, “energised” and “intrigued” by the material and the workshop. The session culminated with some beautifully realised performances of snippets of the monologues and scenes.
On Thursday, students from year 9-13 took part in a fascinating and thought-provoking workshop with Lisle Turner of Open Sky Productions. Lisle is a writer, director and producer working in film, TV and theatre. In film, his features Here and Now and Cold both garnered critical acclaim on release after 27 film festival awards. In TV he was nominated for a BAFTA for The Secret Policeman’s Ball for Channel 4 and won a British Animation Award for his film Measles starring Brian Cox. In the theatre he has written 10 critically acclaimed plays including the multi-award winning Idiot Colony and Scorched. He is currently working on a new feature entitled Mal, a new live theatre piece The Celebrant and a new immersive film entitled Deluge. Lisle recently launched the professional script writing e-learning site Storyline, and it was the first two modules from this resource which provided the basis of the workshop.
Students enjoyed learning about how to develop a premise for the story they wanted to tell, including considering the when and where; the hero and their desire; and the obstacles in their way. They also began to explore ways to develop characters that are authentic and meaningful within the story.
The workshop was a wonderful opportunity to learn from a writer at the top of their game – and as an added bonus, all of the students who attended are able to access the final eight modules free of charge, which will enable them to continue their writing project in their own time.
Last Tuesday, over 60 pupils from Year 8 and 9 attended the launch meeting for this year’s Year 8 and 9 play, The Light Burns Blue by Silva Semerciyan.
In 1917, in the small village of Cottingley in England, cousins Elsie, aged 16, and Frances aged 9, borrowed a camera and took pictures of what appeared to be fairies dancing and playing in the woods. When the photographs were developed, their parents were astonished, and the pictures soon gained attention beyond their small village.
What made this story explode was the involvement of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous author of Sherlock Holmes. He was a strong believer in the supernatural and thought the photos were proof that fairies were real. He wrote articles about them, and soon, the whole country – even the world – was talking about these mysterious creatures.
At the time, Britain was still recovering from the devastation of World War I. The war had left millions grieving, searching for meaning, and desperate for signs of hope. Many people found comfort in spiritualism, the belief that the spirits of the dead could communicate with the living. The idea that fairies existed provided a sense of magic and the potential of a life beyond death—a reassurance that there was still beauty and wonder in a fractured world. This longing for hope is part of what made the Cottingley Fairies so compelling.
For decades, the photos remained a mystery. It wasn’t until the 1980s—over 60 years later—that Elsie and Frances admitted the truth. The fairies in the pictures were actually cut-out drawings from a book, carefully placed to look real. They had tricked everyone, including some of the greatest minds of their time.
This fascinating true story inspired the play The Light Burns Blue by Silva Semerciyan. Set in the aftermath of World War I, the play follows Elsie Wright, a teenager accused of fabricating photographs that supposedly prove the existence of fairies. As journalist Winifred Douglas arrives to uncover the truth, what begins as a straightforward investigation unravels into a thrilling exploration of deception, ambition, and the power of belief.
Against the backdrop of a society desperate for hope, the play weaves together suspense, betrayal, and the resilience of young women determined to find their voice. The Light Burns Blue is not about whether fairies are real; it’s about truth and lies, and the human need for wonder in the face of despair.
This fast-paced drama challenges its characters — and its audience — to question what they see and decide for themselves what’s real. Packed with sharp dialogue, intense confrontations, and plenty of surprises, it’s a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for students who enjoy compelling mysteries, historical drama, and stories of courage and defiance!
The Light Burns Blue will be this year’s Year 8 and 9 play, performed in the Powell Theatre for four nights, from Wednesday 2 July to Saturday 5 July. Auditions take place on Monday 10 March and Tuesday 11 March in the Powell Theatre between 4pm and 5.30pm.
It was great to see so many of our students interested in auditioning, and we wish them luck in the coming weeks!
