A full house was treated to a spectacular celebration of the Performing Arts at Haberdashers’ Adams - Dixon Cup 2024.
We welcomed back Carol Molin who has judged the Dixon Cup for many years. An English and Drama teacher, Carol offers LAMDA classes at Adams after school on Thursdays. Alongside Carol on the judging panel, it was a pleasure to have Chris Hose ON return for a second year. Chris was School Captain for the Class of 2017 and performed in many Dixon Cups (Webb) and musical productions during his time at Adams. Chris went on to study Law at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he is now a supervisor in Contract Law and a PhD candidate. He is also a Freeman of the Haberdashers’ Company.
Four categories were contested: Public Speaking, Film, Set Scene and Dance. All of the entries were led by Sixth Form pupils who worked with their house members to create the wonderful results that were performed. Special congratulations to the Arts Captains of each house for their energy, enthusiasm and drive in pulling everything together to give us a wonderful day of entertainment.
Public Speaking
Students of each age group have a choice of three topics to speak on for no more than three minutes. It was a clean sweep for Darwin who won all three categories this year. The individual winners were:
- Junior – Ryan Mboga, Darwin, spoke on “If you could travel back in time, when and where would you travel to?”
- Intermediate – Sam Hollands, Darwin, delivered a speech on “Should we all be responsible for each other or should we prioritise our ambitions?”
- Senior – Arjun Toora, Darwin, addressed the audience on “Is it more important to have a job that brings financial security or a job that you love?”
Mason Trophy
The film category allows pupils to show their creative skills from script writing through to acting, filming and editing to produce a film that is no more than 8 minutes long. First place went to Talbot for ‘The Switch Up’. The film including a brilliant sword fight scene between Mr Skeate and Mr Hickey! Well done to director Ollie Wiser and editor George Careless. Link to view video.
Hose Cup
For the set scene, the five Houses were each asked to dramatize a great work of poetry in no more than 12 minutes. Both Sa’adu (My Last Duchess) and Talbot (The Highwayman) were shortlisted to perform in the evening show.
The eventual winners were Sa’adu who were awarded the inaugural ‘Hose Cup’ for Drama. Well done to directors Jacob Gater and Toby Hassall for their dramatization of the evil Duke who keeps murdering his wives!
Baker Cup
The dance category is one of the highlights of the event with large numbers of pupils taking part for their House. This year’s theme was “All that Glitters, Sparkles and Shines” which had to include one section in ragtime. A maximum of 85 students were allowed to participate. The winners were Darwin for their polished performance. Well done to choreographers Matilda Hedge & Candy Liao.
Dixon Cup
The overall winners at the end of the evening were Darwin House. A delighted Mrs Halcro, with her first big win as Head of House under her wing, said:
“I was immensely impressed by the talent, creativity, and dedication demonstrated by all the participants in this year’s Dixon Cup. This competition is a true testament to the spirit of collaboration, determination, and resilience, and it has been truly inspiring to witness all of our students excel in every aspect.
Each member of Darwin House brought their unique strengths to the table. The teamwork, energy, and enthusiasm displayed were nothing short of remarkable. It’s been a privilege to see our students embody the values of leadership, independence, and determination throughout this journey. I feel incredibly humbled and proud to be a part of this journey and achievement with them.
This achievement sets a powerful foundation for the future, and I am confident that this is just the beginning of many more successes to come. As Head of House, I couldn’t be prouder of our students’ efforts and the incredible spirit they bring to everything they do.”
A huge thank you to the PE department for giving up the Sports Hall, the backstage team, the Arts Captains, the Heads and Deputy Heads of House, the PTA, Mr Latter and Mr Jopling.
A copy of the show is available to purchase on DVD or a USB drive.
