The Duchess’s High School in Alnwick has been doing two shows a year since 2000 - a senior play in the autumn and a musical in the spring. The shows are very popular and give students a platform to work in their local professional theatre. In February, DCHS students performed 5 sold-out shows of The Band in Alnwick Playhouse. 

The show features the music of Take That and is set in 1992 and 2016, where a tragedy in 1992 impacts five friends, who reunite in 2016 at a concert, reflecting on their changed lives.

Students performed in a multitude of roles and were responsible for stage management, lighting, sound, programmes and publicity. The ultra-talented school band performed all of the music live at every performance.   

Martin Allenby, Director of Sixth Form, said, 'It is a wonderful experience to witness the creative talents of so many students from Years 7-13. We love the fact that the band is conducted by a student and is fully made up of 11 musical students of DCHS. It is a total joy to see the power theatre and the wider arts can have on young people and the community!'

Claire Leightley, Chief Operating Officer of Pele Trust, said, “The show was absolutely outstanding – the talent, energy and professionalism on stage were far beyond what you'd expect from a school production. A real credit to the students and staff!"

DCHS has been recognised multiple times, this year included, as an Artsmark Platinum School for its creative arts programme students, including those who put on the show!