Gothic Tales Come to Life in the Great Hall

On Wednesday 1 December, the Great Hall was transformed into a dark and eerie Victorian room where all six Year 8 classes gathered to hear tales of Gothic horror from Rupert Mason of Redheart Theatre. Dressed in period costume and lit by a flickering candle, Mr Mason performed three Gothic Tales: The Red Room by HG Wells; The Signalman by Charles Dickens; and The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe, the quintessential Gothic writer.

Pupils sat in the dark with rapt attention and gave out gasps at the sound of sudden bumps and creaking doors that were created by the ingenious sound effects. The immersive and engaging storytelling will undoubtedly inspire the pupils as they learn about Gothic literature in English class and submit their own work for the forthcoming Gothic Writing competition.