Friday 4 April is the date which Sixth Form Drama students have been working towards all year, with both AS and A Level examination pieces taking place in the Tithe Barn theatre. Whilst undoubtedly a daunting occasion, the evening also brings excitement as it gives the dramatists an opportunity to show off the excellent work they have produced all year.
In the last few weeks, preparations have reached fever pitch with multiple rehearsals taking place each day. On Monday and Tuesday, the Drama department hosted Lunchbox Theatres, with staff and other pupils going along to provide an audience for the pupils to perform to. We took a camera along to offer a sneak peak of what to expect on the big night.
First up was Meg Barron-Cutts from Year 13. As the only A Level Drama student, Meg had the pressure (and pleasure) of writing, staging and directing the examined piece all on her own. However she did not have to perform on her own as several keen Drama pupils from lower year groups stepped in to help her out.
Meg’s piece is titled Dear Sir or Madam, and is set in twentieth century Ireland’s Magdalen asylums. The piece tells the story of Matthew (played by Ruaridh Sheppard), who is desperately searching for his mother Anna (played by Meg) from whom he was separated shortly after birth. Scenes flip alternately between adult Matthew’s agitated letter writing and his life as a baby. The audience are given a sobering insight into what life was like in the laundries, with Meg only granted access to her child for an hour per day.
The stern nuns, including Sister Joan depicted brilliantly by Katy Webster, soon take Matthew away as punishment for Anna’s ‘sins’, fabricating stories about child neglect. With assistance from Billy Sayers, James Hargreaves and Connor Cummings, Meg introduced brilliantly executed physical theatre into scenes portraying the abuse Anna was subjected to.
Headmaster Gregg Davies commented: “A particularly memorable scene was when an increasingly distressed Anna confronted the audience, asking us whether we had seen her child. This was very powerful, and actually had me on the verge of tears. If Meg can establish the same connection with the audience and examiners on Friday evening I am sure she will do fantastically well. Her Gaelic accent was also impressive!”
With five pupils taking the AS Drama course, their piece was by contrast more of a team effort. Emily Holloway, Albert Rydevik, Ruaridh Sheppard, Katie Webster and Luke Wilkinson are performing Decade, a series of short scenes exploring the aftermath of 9/11. Again, this is a very dark and serious piece, which the pupils have tackled with admirable professionalism.
AS students are tasked with acting in the style of a chosen theatre company. Mimicking Frantic Assembly, the Shiplake quintet has introduced fast-paced physical elements into scenes to give them a real sense of energy and excitement. The scenes are set in various locations including an airport terminal, ground zero and a newspaper editor’s office. The play gives an uncomfortable insight into how many individuals exploited the tragic situation. The pupils take turns in playing the lead role in each section, with a seamless transition between very different characters.
The two impressive productions are the result of a great deal of hard work from all the pupils involved, as well as the valuable assistance they have received from Drama teachers Miss Unwin and Mrs Pearson.
