Junior & Young Writers: Week 11 - Showcase Week (& CAKE)

Hi Writers,

Another incredible term has come to an end, and—as is tradition—this week was SHOWCASE TIME! [applause]

Check-In: How Was Your Week… as a Film, Show, or Play?

We kicked things off with a check-in where writers chose a film, show, or play to represent their week, and assigned actors to play the roles.

Junior Group: We had Hamilton (with lots of Victorian actors!), and The Really Sad Movie, where teachers were cast as the characters who were leaving.
Young Writers: One week was Frozen—disappointingly good: too perfect and ordinary. Another was described as multiple poorly made adaptations of The Office.

Bonus Activity: Character Profiles

Using a delightfully quirky cupcake figure, the groups created backstories and character profiles. Standout features included:

A cupcake named Rim Tim Tagi Digi Dim Tim Tim
A fear of the dentist (relatable)
A passion for poetry
And a refractory catchphrase: 'I'm not a muffin!'

Showcase

Before each performance or book recommendation, the groups took part in some vocal and physical warm-ups to shake off nerves and get stage-ready.

Junior Writers

Eddy presented a choose-your-own-adventure, complete with audience interaction and roaming mic work.
Elsie read her poem My Sister—a rhyming tribute to the loving (and sometimes tumultuous) sibling bond.
Evan acted out his script, Ferny Crofte: Night One, based on an actual (and very comical) event.
Juno gave a detailed review of Who Let the Gods Out, describing it as relatable while rooted in fantasy and mythology.
Indie recommended Issy and Friends for our summer reading lists, highlighting the many side plots woven into the main story.
Henry added Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to the reading pile, praising its unpredictability and twists.

Young Writers

Berry shared a twist on Jack and the Beanstalk, exploring the conscience of her protagonist.
Catherine took us to a world once controlled by a cult, gradually integrating other religions. She revealed an origin story warped to maintain control and shared some incredible illustrations.
Georgie unveiled her intricate lost civilisation language, explaining how she built each element. In her world, women worship the moon and men the water.
Daisy read a vivid wartime tale featuring fighter planes, with lines like 'painting the sky with dark fingers of smoke' transporting us right into the action.
Poppy, with Berry playing a supporting role, performed her hilarious script, The News—a story of chaos after a ban on baked beans due to excessive methane.
Sonny introduced his wonderfully bizarre Cake Cult cards (property of Cheese on Legs Cards Ltd.), made especially for Claire and me. He also read an excerpt from the Cake Country national anthem.

With a bit of time left, we looked back over the year, celebrating what we enjoyed most and imagining what we might revisit or try next term. It seems like the future holds even more choose-your-own adventures, fantasy, legends, myths… and maybe even a little songwriting.

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Junior & Young Writers: Week 11 - Showcase Week (& CAKE)