News: Movie debut for boy choristers

Guildford Cathedral's boy choristers made their movie debut in St Trinian's II - The Legend of Fritton's Gold, released in UK cinemas last Friday.

The boys were involved in two days of filming on location at Charterhouse School back in the summer. They start by singing an angelic version of Panis Angelicus in the cloisters, but are soon corrupted by the St Trinian's girls who give them a beat-boxing lesson. The scene ends with a speeded up beat-box version of the same piece, not normally witnessed in the Cathedral.

Here are some photos of the choristers during filming

Edward Cunningham, tells the story

When we arrived at Charterhouse, we had to check in with the organiser. Scattered around us were props, cameras, equipment, trailers, make-up artists, actors, actresses, cars and most importantly, the food trailer. This was where we went for our breakfast of bacon, toast, eggs etc which we all ate eagerly.

After this, we had to visit the make-up artists who were obviously trying to make us look posh, some more embarrassingly than others. Then, on this first day, we had to dress in our costumes (simply our normal cassocks and surplices) before filming a scene where we were the background action to a group of St Trinian’s girls who were talking disappointedly about there being no ‘fit’ boys around.

On the second day, we filmed our main scene, where we would be the focus of the action and because of this we had to be on set by 7.30am. We were all slightly apprehensive because of what we had to do: singing Franck’s Panis Angelicus ‘straight’ and then, after much rehearsing, the same piece but at double speed with beatbox accompaniment, egged on by the St Trinian’s girls. After many rehearsals and takes, we finished this exhausting session after a fabulous lunch.

Regrettably, we didn’t meet Colin Firth, Rupert Everett or David Tennant, all of whom are starring in the film, but we were in a scene with Sarah Harding from Girls Aloud (by the way, she plays Roxy in the film) and we did get paid! To see quite how outrageous the beatbox is, how much fun we had, and who were the craziest of us, go and see the film at your local cinema from 18 December 2009.

Added Tuesday 22nd December 2009