Film screenings, a thought-provoking senior play, a 90s and noughties dance spectacular, a heatwave and a few nail-biting World Cup games, Bryanston’s annual BryFest had it all this year, as pupils across the school marked the end of term with a week-long explosion of creativity.
Now in its third year, BryFest brought together pupils from drama, music, dance, art, film and design and technology for a celebration unlike any other on the school calendar.
Film Screenings
The week kicked off in style with short film screenings made entirely by pupils, spanning genres from German expressionism to Film Noir. More than 150 pupils packed in for the hour-long showcase of films written, directed and edited by pupil filmmakers.
Senior Play
Things got a lot more uncomfortable, in the best way, with this year’s senior play, Pool (No Water). Not for the faint-hearted, rehearsals began with the question: ‘When your best friend gets everything they wanted, are you actually happy for them?’
Director of Performing Arts Vicki Green said: “It’s the kind of question that makes you wince. Most of us know the feeling – that split second where something sharp and uncomfortable flickers, before the congratulations come. We just never talk about it. Our cast brought every bit of those uncomfortable and jealous feelings to the table and were brave, generous and consistently surprising. There were so many poignant moments.”
Dance Show
Cue a full nostalgia reset, our Dance Show whisked audiences best in time with an energetic 90s and noughties ‘BryHits’ takeover. The Spice Girls and The Backstreet Boys were among the highlights as pupils combined live vocals with some of the biggest dance anthems from two iconic decades.
Summer Concert
The Music Department brought two unmissable events to BryFest – the Summer Concert and the hotly anticipated Bands in the Quad.
It was standing room only in the Elder Concert Hall as the Summer Concert brought the academic year to a spectacular close, with performances from the Orchestra, Camerata, Junior Jazz, percussion groups, chamber groups and three choirs.
The atmosphere throughout was one of celebration, as pupils from every year group came together to share their love of music. Congratulations to everyone who took part, and a special thank you to our superb A2 musicians who have given so much of their time and commitment over the years.
Bands in the Quad
Oh, what a night! The Bry Bands truly outdid themselves with one of their finest gigs to date, treating the audience to an eclectic mix of tunes from ELO, The Smiths and Dusty Springfield, Florence & The Machine, Dua Lipa and Olivia Dean – with plenty more crowd pleasers in between. Every Bry Bands’ outing tops the last, and this one was no exception, giving even England’s last-minute World Cup goal a run for its money.
Exhibitions
The Design & Technology and Art Exhibitions made a hugely popular return for the final week of term. Our Greenpower racing cars were a particular highlight of the D&T Exhibition, while this year’s Art Exhibition was exceptional, spanning Photography, Fine Art, 3D and IB work – showcasing both emerging talent and the achievements of our Sixth Form leavers.
House Athletics
BryFest ended on a competitive note, with pupils from every year group going head-to-head across both track and field events. Shaftesbury and Hunter Houses emerged victorious, and Beechwood won the Junior Boys’ House event.
Vicki Green added: “Thank you to everyone involved in making BryFest such a success. As always it was the perfect celebration to mark the end of the academic year and a wonderful opportunity to bring the whole Bryanston community together.”
Please note, in the gallery below, our photos follow the order of the news story.
House Athletics photo credit: Archie Macfarlane
