Freshers at Exeter and St Anne’s were left confused and amused this week after second and third years caused disruption in front of them while they were having their matriculation photographs taken.
This year saw Exonians treated to a re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo conducted by third years dressed as old women. The battle was a homage to the Monty Python Pearl Harbour sketch whereby a group of women from the ‘Townswomen Guild of Sheffield’ re-enact the Battle of Pearl Harbour by hurling themselves at each other in the mud.
One of those involved in the prank, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “This was simply the continuation of an anonymous college tradition, and little else can be added as an explanation.”
St Anne’s freshers were treated to a performance of ‘The Circle of Life’ from ‘The Lion King’, with JCR President Christina Toenshoff leading the way on the balconies of the college’s Wolfson building. At least thirty students were involved, dressed in animal onesies, and the role of Simba was played by a small toy bear.
A St Anne’s student, Oscar Boyd, explained, “It’s been tradition for longer than freshers can remember to play a prank on the matriculation photo and this year’s was the most elaborate yet.”
Robert Maquarie, Vice President of the St Anne’s JCR said, “The Lion King is one of my all time favourite movies so it was kind of a moment of elated personal vindication for me, as well as being fairly funny for all involved.”
Andrew Hall from St Anne’s said, “Never before has Oxford seen such epic live poetry, and I’m sure even the staff were moved by the spiritual, primeval abandon.”
