Our Drama Department is thrilled to announce they will be taking a show under the brand new NHEHS theatre company ‘Fervour’ (created in honour of the occasion) to be performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024.

A selection of Year 12s will be taking part in this venture as actors and theatre-makers, reinterpreting Helen Edmundson’s vivid adaptation of Thérèse Raquin, in combination with the original classic novel by Émile Zola as both the classic novel and NHEHS jointly commemorate grand birthdays this year.

The name ‘Fervour’ was chosen collectively by the drama students and staff, for its meaning conveying ‘ardour, zeal, passion, intensity’ – fitting for the extraordinary story of Thérèse Raquin. Zola’s novel centres around an oppressed woman desperate to escape from her husband and loveless marriage, exploring morality, madness, murder, guilt and tragedy.

The piece will be minimalistic in style with a strong physical ensemble, taking inspiration from practitioners  DV8 Physical Theatre, Complicité and Frantic Assembly.

The seven-day residential trip will take place from the 2nd – 8th August, which is the first official week of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with four performances (4th, 5th, 6th, 7th August at 11.30 am -12.30pm) of the show at Greenside, Olive Studio on George Street. As well as performing, students will also have the amazing opportunity to see the huge variety of theatre on offer at the festival.

There will be a preview show at school in early July (details to be confirmed). We would love for NHEHS friends and families to see the production during a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.