Reviews

Second Year Play

‘The Royal Astrologers’ by Willis Hall

Three weeks ago we enjoyed a wonderful Third Year production and the Seconds dished up an equally entertaining evening last Thursday and Friday in the Watt Studio Theatre.

Willis Hall is probably best-known for his hard-hitting war drama ‘The Long and the Short and the Tall’ but in ‘The Royal Astrologers’ he shows that he can turn his hand to any genre with equal success; here he enjoys the role of the verbose word-smith with a huge sense of fun.

This is a character-driven play with an enjoyable and predictable plot and a fleet of characters selected from the best children’s adventure stories.  Father and son Mole-Cricket are the heroes of our tale who prefer to sleep all day and eat the occasional meal, if they have to. Circumstances decree that they become astrologers and quickly get caught up in the search for the Emperor’s stolen gold.  This brings them face to face with thieves, pirates, Emperor himself, and the dreaded, sharp-tongued Mother Mole-Cricket.

Louis d’Inverno and Alex Brock were the superbly eccentric male Mole-Crickets; exceedingly watchable as they glided from crisis to crisis, out-witting thieves, pirates and the Emperor.  They were excellently  complemented by Tarquin Ramsay and Douglas Rogers as the Chancellor and Emperor, a beautifully costumed pair who were obsessed with decapitation and marrying off the princess, charmingly played by Hugo Macrae in bewitching belly-dance outfit.

On their quest for gold, our heroes encountered the dastardly crew of the Bold Tassle led by dashing captain Beanfast, swaggeringly played by Ruaridh Smith and ably supported by his crew – James Marchant Wink, Mark MacDermot and Gregor Hay.  Other parts were played by Alasdair Gardiner, the debonair leader of a band of thieves, Joel Brimelow, a buffalo-herding peasant and James Wilson, the awesome, saucepan-wielding Mother Mole-Cricket.

There was a huge sense of fun and energy in the production and both cast and audience clearly had a wonderful evening.  The play was directed by Graeme Trotter and Kirsty Roy.

Parents Association

Download a Big Picnic Flyer
(left - 390K pdf)

Big Picnic 2008 - 21st June

Your Assistance is Required!

We need -

Toys - new or old -complete and in good condition! No 2nd hand soft toys please! Contact Helen Strachan 556 5097 hstrachan@rnsolicitors.com

Books, DVDs, CDs and PC/PS etc Games - new or old in good condition! Contact Athol Bowman 07801 042811 athol.bowman@virgin.net

Bric-a-Brac - good condition - no electrical goods please! Contact Barbara Reid 07899 793315 barbara.reid@virgin.net

Empty Jam Jars - any size, empty and clean, with a lid please!

Full Bottles and Jars - unopened and within Use by Date - anything will do but nothing poisonous! Contact  Anne Maclean 07789 463992

Please start your spring clean now!

Any items can be delivered to either Senior School office, or Ronnie Paxton's office in Junior School from now onwards

Plant Stall

There will as usual be a plant stall at the Big Picnic - please start preparing now! If you are digging up plants you don't want, or splitting ones that are too big, or planting out and have too many - please think of us and hang on to them for us until June. Any queries please contact Heike Campbell 01314 671946 campbellz@blueyonder.co.uk

Homebaking and Preserves, Jams etc

Nut free please!  Contact Jenny Benfield 313 2684 jenny.benfield@fsmail.net

Raffle Prizes

The bigger the better - but size isn't everything! Any raffle prizes gratefully received - can be left for Gill Peters at Junior or Senior School. Any queries contact Gill Peters 07769 902027 melford@quik.com

And finally there will as usual be -

The Bike Exchange

Bikes scooters trikes heelies and wheelies welcome! Seller gets 50% of sale proceeds and school gets 50% Contact Josie Inwood 556 3268 maxwell.inwood@blueyonder.co.uk

Or just donate your time! We always need more help! If you've never done it before now's the time to start!

Any queries and any other offers of help please contact Tory Craig 07745 130987 torylintoncraig@aol.com

Fund raising the really easy way!

www.easyfundraising.org.uk

EAPFA have registered with this website and now you can help us make money by just shopping online at no extra cost to yourself.  Just -

1. register on the website as an EAPFA supporter and then

2.  shop online in your usual way (there are 500+ retailers e.g. Amazon, John Lewis, Boden, ITunes, Game etc etc) and those retailers will pay us either a small percentage of your total spend with them or a one off donation - but you just pay the same as you normally would-and some even have special offers for registered supporters.

So please have a look at the website-it's an effortless way for you to help without even leaving your chair!

And if you use www.easysearch.org.uk as your Internet search engine we get money too - only a tiny amount per search but it would really add up if lots of you were using it.

Please try it out and see! What have you got to lose! Any queries contact Tory Craig.

What's On?

Choir Rehearsal

Wednesday 11th June   6.45-9.00   Main Hall, Henderson Row

Choir Rehearsal for Sunday’s concert (with Choral Society)

Meet the Author - Gill Arbuthnott

Thursday 12th June  1pm  Senior School Library  

Miss Arbuthnott will be talking about her latest non-fiction book ‘Mad Scientists’ in the Senior School Library at 1 pm on Thursday 12th June.   Come along and be fascinated and appalled!

Choral Concert

Sunday 15th June  7.30pm   St Stephen's Centre

The School Choir, Parents' Choir, soloists and orchestra will perform 'Insanae et vanae curae' by Haydn, 'Exsultate, jubilate' by Mozart and Beethoven's Mass in C.

Tickets £8 (free tickets for children) must be bought in advance from the School Office.  Tickets will not be on sale at the door.

There will be a Choir and orchestra rehearsal in the St Stephen’s Centre 1.45-4.15 on the day.

Lunchtime Concert

Tuesday 17th June  12.45  Robertson Room

Including double bass solos from Frazer Salter

African Children’s Choir

Wednesday 18th June   7.30pm  Senior School Hall

Tickets for this spectacular event, at £5 each, are available through the Senior School office or directly from the Junior School office.

Lunchtime Concert

Friday 20th June  12.45  Robertson Room

A chance to hear the four songs composed by this year’s A-level candidates.

Notices

Holiday Club

This will run at the Junior School from 8.15am-6pm, Monday 30th June to Friday 15th August. You should have received a booking form. If not please contact Shelagh Sharp on 624 4908 or email afterschool@edinburghacademy.org.uk

Senior School Exhibition Day: Friday 27th June

Tickets

Please note that the deadline date for ticket applications is Friday 13th June (this includes Reception / Lunch tickets for Leavers).

Car Parking

Parents attending the Exhibition on Friday 27 June are reminded that a limited number of parking spaces will be available in the school yards from 9.00 am.

Anyone needing assistance to get into the St Stephen’s Centre or requiring a reserved, disabled parking place at Henderson Row should contact Dr Blackmore via the School Office before Friday 20 June.

T Blackmore

Careers Library: Open Days

14 June - University of Central Lancashire

17 June - Stevenson College

18 June - Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Manchester Metropolitan University (Manchester sites)

19 June - University of Glasgow

20 June - University of Edinburgh

21 June - University of Wolverhampton

24 June - University of Durham (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics)

25 June - Northumbria University, Manchester Metropolitan University (Cheshire sites)

26/27 June - University of Birmingham

27 June - University of Nottingham

Further information and booking where necessary on individual websites.  

Sport

P4 - 6 Games

On a marvellous day for competition, the P4-6 pupils demonstrated a real energy and enthusiasm for competition culminating in many new records being set. The girls set new records for all of their events! What a fantastic day and well done to all who participated. Thank you to all the staff and parents who made this a special occasion for all!

Mark Enos, Head of PE

Results:

U10 Girls Long Jump1^st Olivia Walls 2.77m 2^nd Holly Willett 2.50m 3^rd Emily Fletcher 2.48m U10 Girls Cricket Ball Throw1^st Holly Willett 14.45m 2^nd Olivia Walls 11.60m 3^rd Emily Flecher 11.10m U10 Girls 80m1^st Holly Willett 13.7 2^nd Olivia Walls 13.9 3^rd Ellie Gordon-Woolgar 14.3 U10Girls 150m 1^st Holly Willett 27.4 2^nd Ellie Gordon-Woolgar 28.6 3^rd Olivia Walls 28.8 U11 Girls LJ 1^st Esther Jourdan 2.80m 2^nd Jessica Smith 2.68m 3^rd Meabh McGuigan 1.59m U11 Girls C/B 1^st Jessica Smith 19.35m 2^nd Esther Jourdan 17.26m 3^rd Meabh McGuigan 9.76m U11 Girls 80m 1^st Jessica Smith 15.4 2^nd  Esther Jourdan 17.7 3^rd Meabh McGuigan 20.3 U11Girls 150m 1^st Jessica Smith 25.4 2^nd Esther Jourdan 26.9 3^rd Meabh McGuigan 37.3 U12 Girls LJ 1^st Matilde Berkmiller 3.22m 2^nd Abaan Zaidi 2.20m 3^rd Natalie Herbert 2.19m U12Girls C/B 1^st Matilde Berkmiller 25.76m 2^nd Natalie Herbert 10.75m 3^rd Abaan Zaidi 10.71m U12 Girls 80m 1^st Matilde Berkmiller 12.9 2^nd Abaan Zaidi 13.2 3^rd Natalie Herbert 13.7 U12 Girls 150m 1^st Matilde Berkmiller 23.9 2^nd Abaan Zaidi 29.0 3^rd Natalie Herbert 33.6 Division Relay P4-6 Girls 1^st Dundas 80.00 2^nd Carmichael 84.9 3^rd Cockburn 85.4 4^th Kinross 86.2 U10 Boys HJ 1^st Jean Claude Houbert 1.05m 2^nd Lorne Scott Dempster 1.05m 3^rd Atticus Melvin-Farr 1.00m U10Boys LJ 1^st Atticus Melvin-Farr 3.31m 2^ndLorne Scott Dempster 3.17m 3^rd Seoras Russell 3.03m U10 Boys C/Ball 1^st Freddie Cliff 35.02m 2^nd Kamran Afshar 34.42m 3^rd Kit Buchan 29.05m U10 Boys 80m 1^st Sam Mateer 12.9 2^nd Michael Olsen 13.2 3^rd Lorne Scott-Dempster 13.3 U10 Boys 150m 1^st Sam Mateer 23.9 2^nd Lorne Scott-Dempster 24.3 3^rd Freddie Cliff 25.4  U10 Boys 300m 1^st Atticus Melvin-Farr 57.4 (New Academy Record) 2^nd Callum Woodward 60.0 3^rd Christopher Jackson 60.4 U10 Boys 600m 1^st Atticus Melvin-Farr 2.07.00 (NAR) 2^nd Henry Hunter 2.11.4 2^nd Callum Woodward 2.11.8 U11 Boys HJ 1^st Innes Murray 1.15m 2^nd Angus MacPherson 1.10m 3^rd Oscar Ramsay 1.05m U11 Boys LJ 1^st Kelvin Chen 3.68m 2^nd Harry Simpson 3.50m 3^rd Jamie Troup 3.46m U11 Boys C/B1^st James Carrie 38.43 2^nd Innes Murray 37.82 3^rd Harry Simpson 37.23 U11 Boys 80m 1^st Harry Simpson12.1 2^nd Sam Hooke12.2 3^rd Hunter Boydell 12.3 Under11 Boys 150m 1^stInnes Murray 21.7 (NAR) 2^ndJamie Troup 23.6 3^rd Campbell Neill 23.8 U11 Boys 300m1^st Harry Simpson 54.9 2^nd Jamie Troup 55.6 3^rd Nicholas Peters 55.6 U11 Boys 600m 1^st Innes Murray 2.01.7 (NAR) 2^nd Sam Hooke 2.06.1 3^rd Finlay Gilmour 2.09.9 U12 Boys HJ 1^st Saul Melvin-Farr 1.26m (NAR)2^nd =Ruaridh Mackay1.10m 2^nd =Alasdair Gillies 1.10m 3^rd Neil Wood 1.10m U12 Boys LJ 1^stSaul Melvin-Farr 4.19m (NAR) 2^nd Blair Kinghorn 3.81m 3^rd Peter Ning 3.78m U12 Boys CB 1^st Blair Kinghorn 51.80m (NAR) 2^nd Rowan Milne 41.54m 3^rd Ruaridh Mackay 38.59m U12 Boys 80m 1^st Blair Kinghorn 11.2 (NAR) 2^nd Peter Ning11.6 3^rd Joshua Mateer   12.2 U12 Boys 150m 1^st Blair Kinghorn 21.3 (NAR) 2^nd Alastair Gillies 23.73^rd Rowan Milne 24.1 U12 Boys 400m 1^st Saul Melvin-Farr 74.2 2^nd Rory Mellis 81.53^rd Jack O’Brien 84.2 U12 Boys 600m 1^st Saul Melvin-Farr 1.56.9 (NAR) 2^nd Peter Ning 2.08.6 3^rd Angus Bolton     2.12.3 P4 Boys 4x100 Relay 1^st  Carmichael 68.7 (=AR) 2^nd Kinross 69.1 3^rd Cockburn 69.6 4^th Dundas 73.6 P5 Boys 4x100 Relay 1^st  Carmichael 65.5 (NAR) 2^nd Dundas 69. 3^rd  Cockburn 70.1 4^th  Kinross 73.7 P6 Boys 4x100 Relay1^st Cockburn 63.7 2^nd Dundas 63.8 3^rd Carmichael 67.1 4^th Kinross 67.9

Medal Winners U10 Girls: 1^st Holly Willett, 2^nd Olivia Walls, 3^rd Ellie Gordon-Woolgar U10 Boys: 1^st Atticus Melvin-Farr, 2^nd Sam Mateer, 3^rd Freddie Cliff U11 Girls: 1^st Jessica Smith, 2^nd Ester Jourdan, 3^rd Maebh McGuigan U11 Boys: 1^st Innes Murray, 2^nd Harry Simpson, 3^rd Jamie Troup U12 Girls: 1^st Matilde Berkmiller, 2^nd Abaan Zaidi, 3^rd Natalie Herbert U12 Boys: 1^st Saul Melvin-Farr, 2^nd Blair Kinghorn, 3^rd Peter Ning

Relay Cup Carmichael Division Cup Dundas

U11 cricket v Craigclowan

On a sunny morning the Academy were put in to bat on a green wicket and were immediately put under pressure by some fine swing bowling. Despite a spirited defence from Afshar (7) the Academy slumped to 50 all out including 34 extras! It was always going to be tough to defend 50 but the Academy put in a spirited effort bowling with some excellent control and swing. Opening, Simpson (4-0-7-1) took the much needed early wicket backed up by Lopes (4-0-10-0). Melvin-Farr (4-2-6-1) then displayed excellent ability in swinging the ball and with a good line and length really put pressure on the opposition. Troup, Mackay and Afshar all tried to make a breakthrough but, unfortunately, the 26 extras lost made defeat inevitable. The team spirit in the field and level of commitment was excellent. Well done, boys! Thank you to all who supported the team.

EAJS 50 all out, Craigclowan 53 for 2.