Our GCSE and A Level Drama students recently enjoyed an exciting and enriching theatre trip on Thursday 24 September 2026, to see ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’, directed by Ned Bennett, at Woking Theatre. This provided them with a valuable opportunity to experience modern live theatre to deepen their understanding of creative and effective theatrical techniques.
The visit gave students the chance to analyse professional acting, directing, design and staging choices in a live production setting. Watching the professional actors bring characters to life from the novel, originally written by Mark Haddon, offered invaluable insight into the practical application of the theories and concepts studied as part of their courses.
Throughout the performance, students observed the diverse use of lighting, sound, costume, set design and performance style, including Frantic Assembly inspired physical theatre, helping them develop their critical analysis skills and broaden their appreciation of theatre as a collaborative art form. These observations will directly support their practical and written examination work, particularly in areas relating to performance evaluation and theatrical interpretation.
The experience also encouraged students to consider a range of creative approaches and production techniques that they can incorporate into their own performances and devised work.
The trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended, with students commenting on the high quality of the production and the opportunity to experience theatre beyond the classroom. Educational visits such as these play a key role in developing confidence, creativity and cultural awareness, while fostering a lifelong appreciation for the Performing Arts.
Here’s what some of our students said –
‘I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to see ‘The Curious Dog in the Night-Time’. I especially enjoyed watching Ed’s character arc and how his naturalistic acting style portrayed an emotionally mature performance that I could connect with.’ Becca (A Level student).
‘I really enjoyed the play, it was very visually interactive, and one of my favourite parts was seeing how all of the Ensemble were used to re-create different real-life situations and bodyprops, such as pavement stones, in which they rolled around on the floor so that the main character, Chris, could jump over them.’ Darcey (A Level student).
‘I found the trip to the show not only a fun trip, but also an amazing choice to use for my Drama GCSE. It was performed in a semi-naturalistic style. This meant the play was performed in a creative and unique way, which allowed the message behind the play to be even more prominent. I really enjoyed this show; it hooked me in as an audience member and the acting was amazing!’ Anya (Year 11 GCSE student).
‘I loved the creativity of the play and the awareness the play brought to people who see the world through a different perspective. I liked how there was a raised part of the stage at the back and how the Ensemble had to help the other actors to climb up and down the platform. I also loved the projections onto the back wall, especially when it was ‘raining’ and the rain trickled over the platform as well.’ Evelyn (Year 11 GCSE student).
‘It was an incredible play and very different from anything I’ve seen before. I found the portrayal of Chris’ Autism accurate and convincing without being stereotypical. As well as this I loved the blend of the naturalistic style and physical theatre, which also reflected the feel of Chris’ Neurodivergent brain. As a GCSE Drama student, I thought seeing this play was really beneficial and inspiring for when we create our devised theatre work later in the course.’ Cherry (Year 10 GCSE student).
‘I really enjoyed the trip, and the play. I found it moving and emotional and it included great Drama techniques that will help me in my future Drama work. I really liked it and I have never seen anything like it before.’ Marilia (Year 10 GCSE student).
‘The train scene was epic.’ Joshua (Year 10 GCSE student).
‘This was the perfect show to watch from a technical design student’s perspective. We could see exactly why we were taken to that production rather than any other one. It was extremely well produced and the acting was brilliant.’ Charlie (Year 10 GCSE student).
The Drama department look forward to providing more opportunities for our students to experience new and engaging live theatre and continue their artistic development throughout the academic year.
