IT WAS a busy 2005 for Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School's drama students after tackling comedy, drama and adventure.

The Blackburn school has a long tradition of performing musicals annually, but now that drama and theatre studies are part of the QEGS curriculum, budding thespians have been given extra opportunities to perform.

On occasions the staff have even tried their hand, taking on acting roles.

Jesus Christ Superstar was the school's annual musical production, involving a large cast of pupils and staged over three evenings in March.

James Holding was a strong and passionate Jesus and he was well supported by boys and girls from throughout the school, including some as young as four.

The Junior School pupils were next in the spotlight in April, as they brought 1920s New York to Blackburn with a very humorous and entertaining interpretation of Alan Parker's spoof gangster play, Bugsy Malone.

Thomas Hall as Bugsy and Verity Jones as Blowsy were excellent and there were several well-behaved schoolboys who transformed themselves into rather convincing hoodlums.

By contrast, Timberlake Wertenbaker's play Our Country's Good (pictured), set on a ship transporting convicts to Australia in the 1790s, was altogether more serious in tone, but the predominantly sixth form cast showed they could handle heavier material and still entertain.

The QEGS drama year was rounded off in November/December by a light-hearted look at Victorian values and vices through Oscar Wilde's ever-popular comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, which included two staff members among the cast.

But the school isn't resting on its laurels rehearsals are already under way for its spring production.

School drama spokesman Phil Lloyd said: "As 2006 approaches rehearsals are already in full swing at QEGS for the musical Calamity Jane, which will be performed in the school's Main Hall on West Park Road, from March 23 to 25."