Latest news with #StChristopher's
Gulf Weekly
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Silver screen sensation
Scottish-Bahraini thespian Ghazi Al Ruffai's latest thriller film 28 Years Later is entertaining audiences worldwide, shining a bright spotlight on the kingdom's cinematic talent. The 25-year-old, who attended St Christopher's School, is also set to star in the sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which will release in January next year. 28 Years Later is the third instalment in the series, following 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007), and explores the second outbreak of the 'Rage' virus. There are plans for a fifth film 28 Years Later Part 3. A group of survivors from the first outbreak live on a small island. When a member of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers a mutation that has spread to not only the infected, but other survivors as well. 'Filming 28 Years Later was simply wild! Everything was very tight-lipped during the audition process, so I never knew I'd be playing a key role,' said the former Riffa resident who currently lives in London and brings 'Jimmy Snake' alive on the big screen. During the initial outbreak of the virus, Jimmy (played by a different child actor) flees from his house after his family gets infected. While taking shelter at a local church, he finds his father, a local vicar, who gives him a necklace and urges him to escape, succumbing to the virus in the process. 'I make my first appearance at the end of the first film as part of the cliff-hanger, and the lead-up was intense. We had weeks of stunt training, which consisted of fight choreography, acrobatics and weaponry,' he added. Elaborating on his experience filming, the creative talent who lived in Bahrain for 19 years before moving to the UK said: 'The whole thing was so surreal; I still pinch myself about it. Above all, to be directed by Danny Boyle, a true legend that I have admired for so long, was a dream come true. Being able to work with legends such as Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell was like witnessing a masterclass in acting daily. On top of that, my fellow Jimmies and I truly became a family. We all just clicked instantly that it felt like we had known each other for years.' Ghazi has always had the 'acting bug' in him and was an 'expressive' child growing up, forcing his siblings to join him and put on shows for their parents. However, he did not think it could happen. That changed during his years studying at St Christopher's School. 'At St Christopher's, I was able to explore drama in an academic setting. The drama department was incredibly supportive, and that encouragement helped me take acting a bit more seriously,' he said. However, a real turning point came when Ghazi joined the Makan School of Speech and Drama and met its founder and acting instructor Ruqaya Aamer, who helped him hone his craft and find his voice as an actor. 'I credit so much of my growth and success to her,' he noted. The actor, who visits regularly, was in Bahrain in January this year when he visited St Christopher's and gave a talk to Year 12 and 13 drama and acting students, sharing his journey and offering tips. After graduating school, Ghazi moved to the UK in 2018 to pursue acting professionally and trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the Guildford School of Acting. Towards the end of his studies at Guildford, he landed an agent and it has been 'go go go' ever since. His past projects include Layla (2024), and the docudrama Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (2025), in which he portrayed Khaled Megrahi. In addition to his screen work, Ghazi is a prominent content creator on social media, where his comedic and character-driven videos have built a dedicated following of more than 200,000. He is passionate about using his platform to challenge stereotypes and spotlight under-represented voices in the industry.
Sunday World
03-07-2025
- Sunday World
Dubliner accused of late-night raid at intellectual disabilities provider
Ballymun man Derek Hickey (37) appeared before Judge Peter White at a sitting of Longford District Court This is the first image of a man accused of breaking into a midlands based disabilities provider and causing criminal damage during a late night raid. Derek Hickey (37) of Shangan Crescent, Ballymun, Dublin 9, appeared before Judge Peter White at a sitting of Longford District Court to face a total of five charges which were allegedly committed over the course of May 28 and May 29. The Dubliner, who is on bail, first came before the courts at a special sitting in Carrick-on-Shannon just over five weeks ago following his arrest barely four hours after a break-in was reported at St Christopher's Services in Longford town. Derek Hickey on the steps of Longford Courthouse. News in 90 Seconds - Thursday, July 3 The accused was later charged with burglary at the Battery Road facility by entering St Christopher's Special School as a trespasser on May 29. He was also charged with two counts of trespass at Aughatoom House, Battery Road, Longford and at a property at Druid Glen, White Linen Woods in the midlands town. The court was previously told how it will be alleged a suspect matching Hickey's description was observed on CCTV wearing a high vis jacket and blue cap gaining entry to the premises and where a series of electrical items were taken. Derek Hickey stands accused of breaking into intellectual disabilities provider St Christopher's in Longford town. That incident, it was alleged, led to a laptop being taken, the total of haul of which amounted to €1,200. The court heard how it will be alleged Hickey was stopped shortly after 7am along the Earl Street area of town wearing 'identical clothing' to the attire which had been observed on the suspect in CCTV taken from the scene while in possession of the stolen property which had been taken from St Christopher's just hours earlier. Hickey was further charged with causing criminal damage to a vehicle when attempting to pull the wires of its ignition in a bid to start it alongside a further count of theft from Aldi, Athlone Road, Longford the previous evening. Derek Hickey on the steps of Longford Courthouse. It was Hickey's third time in court when he appeared before Longford District Court and where his solicitor Anthony Feeney made an application for the 'full disclosure' of all relevant State evidence to be handed over in order to consider his client's position. Hickey, who sported a blue Nike tracksuit to court, did not enter a plea and remained silent throughout the hearing. Judge Peter White acceded to Mr Feeney's request and remanded Hickey on continuing bail to a sitting of Longford District Court on October 21 when the accused is expected to enter a plea or seek a date for hearing.
Gulf Weekly
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Showtime!
BRINGING top talent in Bahrain under one roof in a dazzling four-day event, the inaugural edition of St Chris Performing Arts Festival is set to be staged from February 23 to 26, culminating in a gala concert for winners, writes Melissa Nazareth. The event is an 'expansion' of the St Christopher's Music Festival, launched in 1998, and will now include dance and drama. More than 500 students across 18 schools, aged four to 18, will showcase their talents at the school's Saar and Isa Town campuses. 'This year's Performing Arts Festival marks a significant milestone, expanding upon the legacy of the much-loved Music Festival,' St Christopher's School performing arts director Dennis Haggerty told GulfWeekly. 'This expansion stems from the recent integration of music, drama and dance into a unified Performing Arts faculty at St Christopher's. 'This restructuring underscores the school's dedication to performing arts education and prepares students for the world-class facilities of our forthcoming new state-of-the-art secondary school,' he added. The school will continue to offer classes in classical, rock and pop music, and has introduced solo and group acting for drama, as well as solos, duos, and group classes for dance. A panel of judges flying into Bahrain from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Sri Lanka will give feedback and guidance to the competitors. 'We've developed new judging criteria, ensuring fair and equitable assessment across all disciplines. We've also focused heavily on promoting the festival to students and securing sufficient resources, including venues, equipment, personnel and an impressive 50 trophies up for grabs. Each competitor receives a participation certificate and all placements receive medals. We are grateful to our sponsors for their generous support,' he added. The headline sponsors of the event are Volvo, a division of Motorcity, and Ardaas Holdings. The idea behind the festival is to draw together young performing arts students of all ages and levels from Bahrain to participate in a friendly, competitive event, according to Dennis, who highlighted the impressive work that the talents have exhibited in the days leading to the event. 'We've been impressed by both the creative interpretations of classic pieces – expect fresh takes on familiar works – and the exciting original material and modern dance styles being showcased. 'Attendees can anticipate a diverse range of talent and styles, from the traditional to the contemporary, promising a vibrant and engaging festival experience,' he added.
