There were sinister goings on at St. George’s International School last week, with satanic headmasters bent on taking over control of the whole country, “Stepford Students” robotically obeying his every word, and just a small handful of rebels able to resist his crazed charms. Mercifully, this was not standard lunchtime shenanigans at the school, but all happening on stage in the Zinnen Building, in a presentation by the school’s London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) of Gillian Cross’s play, The Demon Headmaster. 

Into an unsettling tale that dealt with the hypnotic powers charismatic and dastardly individuals can wield, and the dangerously seductive power of television, Sacha Utting turned in a star performance as Dinah, a student with a mind very much her own until she is fostered and placed into the demon headmaster’s clutches. Her new foster brothers Harvey and Lloyd, played by Albert York and Constantine Somers, gamely try to warn Dinah, who seems to be hiding something though worse yet is “a girl!”, but are left to watch helplessly as she falls under his spell. 

From here, the three have to work out what the wicked headmaster is really up to, and just what has it all got to do with the hyper-demented television personality, Eddy Hair? 

Sacha Utting shone in the lead role with a performance that amply demonstrated the skills of a young actress who is clearly very much at home on stage. Her natural performance was matched by Siddarth Vaitty’s representation of the demonic headmaster, a turn so delightfully sinister that one couldn’t help wondering if his family have been skipping their Sunday afternoon naps since rehearsals began, just in case. Albert York and Constantine Somers had huge fun as Dinah’s brothers Harvey and Lloyd, with Albert showing an impish ease on stage, and Constantine perfectly delivering some of the funniest lines of the show. 

The performance by all on and behind the stage was a testament to the work of LAMDA, which is running five sessions a week and open to external students as well as students of St. George’s, for which spaces are still available. Anyone wanting to find out more should contact Ruth Gillen, resident LAMDA teacher, by email: r.gillen@st-georges.lu

The Demon Headmaster was written by Gillian Cross, and is available for sale on the website Amazon.com.