Julian Fellowes, George Stiles, and Anthony Drewe reinvented “Half a Sixpence” for the modern age and called it Kipps. This was another magnificent LVS Ascot performance from the Year 7 to 13 students, with impressive vocals across the cast in four performances across Thursday 23rd – Saturday 25th January.
The story is set in the last century around Arthur Kipps, an overworked draper’s assistant working at Shalford’s Bazaar. The orphan dreams of a better and more accomplished life. When Kipps suddenly inherits a fortune, it takes Arthur into another society that bewilders him. Watching this happen is his old childhood sweetheart Ann. She sees how Arthur is being forced into a new life by the elegant and manipulative Helen Walsingham. He could change his status only if he believed in himself and listened to the nagging Helen.
Arthur invests in a friend’s new play and gets talked into letting Helen’s brother James look after the rest of his money.
In the play, Arthur is taken across a roller-coaster of financial fortune and relationships. As the play comes to an end does Arthur stay rich or poor and who does he end up with Helen or Ann?
I thoroughly enjoyed the musical because it had some really catchy tunes that were well sung and choreographed, and I could see myself singing them in the future. My favorite part was the long finale where the whole cast was brought together on the stage dancing and singing for one last time!
As the photographer would say ‘Hold it……… Flash, Bang, Wallop, What a Picture’.
– By Charlie Attard, Year 10
Watch this short highlights video which includes interviews with parents, cast and crew:
A full album of images from our production of Kipps can be seen on our Facebook page.
