House Performing Arts Gallery 2024
Some people love performing, others don’t. Whichever camp you belong to, there’s no escaping the annual House Performing Arts competition. It’s a crowd-thrilling festival of music, dance, singing and wholesome whole-House participation.
The real challenge is for the House Captains, who have to organise, encourage and lead their cohorts in performing a whole House song and a smaller ensemble piece in front of all their Senior School peers and a panel of judges.
This year it was held on the Friday before the Autumn Half Term and the categories were “male artist” and songs from a filmed musical:
| HOUSE | MUSICAL FILM | MALE ARTIST |
| Chartwell | Grease | Will Smith |
| Down | High School Musical | Flo Rida |
| Penshurst | Barbie | Justin Bieber |
| Quebec | The Greatest Showman | Pitbull |
| Knole | Pitch Perfect | Bruno Mars |
| Montreal | Mamma Mia | Justin Timberlake |
Sitting between Headmistress Ms Chamberlain and Head of Houses Mr Cole, was our guest judge, cellist Rachael Lander, who brought all her vast and diverse musical experience to bear on the unfolding entertainment.
Before announcing the results, Rachael praised everyone’s performances, mentioning the “courage and bravery” of the less naturally extrovert girls who did their bit too. She then claimed she had just seen more talent on the Wally stage than in some of the West End shows she had worked on!
Singling out Chartwell as overall winner, she noted Chartwell’s “confidence, swagger in rapping and brilliant choreography” as especially memorable. Full results:
| Winner | Runner Up | Third | |
| House Perf. Arts Cup | Chartwell | Penshurst | Down |
| Best Presentation | Down | Quebec | |
| Best House Song | Montreal | Penshurst | |
| Best House Ensemble | Chartwell | Knole |
