Recent Trips:
‘An Inspector Calls’
On 6th October a small group of Form V pupils went to see a matinee performance of J.B. Priestley’s classic thriller ‘An Inspector Calls’ in Bath. The production, directed by Stephen Daldry (‘The Reader and ‘Billy Elliot’), was much anticipated having won more awards than any other play in history and on tour direct from its fourth West End season.
The performance certainly did not disappoint as incredible staging allowed the Inspector’s revelations to literally destroy the complacent Birling household. These effects were supplemented by lashing rain on stage and lighting effects that allowed pupils to see how Priestley’s character defining stage directions might be interpreted. Interesting directorial choices such as a small boy weeping at the start of the play and the Inspector appearing in the audience at one point, lit by a sin0gle spotlight, portrayed very much as the puppet master manipulating the characters on stage, created an eerie, unsettling atmosphere at times.
Staff and pupils were in agreement that the production fully deserved the plaudits, allowing them to experience a fine performance of a key GCSE Literature text that offered a challenge to our social consciences as relevant as when it was written in 1945.
‘A Christmas Carol’
On December 9th a small group of Form II pupils were treated to a dramatic re-working of Dickens’ classic play ‘A Christmas Carol’. James Hyland played Jacob Marley (deceased) and recounted events from the perspective of Scrooge’s dead business partner. This was a one man show to live long in the memory!
Marley’s spirit tells the tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his eventual path to redemption, instigated by three visiting spirits who illustrate the error of his ways and eventually lead him to realise the importance of love and forgiveness. The play began memorably with the haunting vision of Marley, bathed in a hellish red light lugging chains and groaning with pains that seemed beyond the realms of this world. For the next ninety minutes the audience were taken seamlessly through a range of characters that lead us to consider this eternally apt Christmas message.
The play was a commanding performance by Hyland who inhabited the roles of Marley and Scrooge with conviction, bringing an atmospheric and compelling evocation of Victorian London to the stage. Stage props were minimal and this allowed the audience to engage their imaginations and increased the intensity with which they focused upon the characters. Clever use of lighting constituted the only major stage effect and this allowed Hyland to elicit sympathy for Tiny Tim and fear for those who choose to live a life removed from the cares of their fellow men.
The play was both visually arresting and intellectually engaging for all ages and the salutary message was entirely fitting just before the festive period.
‘The Comedy of Errors’
In March, a range of pupils from Form III to sixth form enjoyed a riotous version of Shakespeare’s ‘The Comedy of Errors’ in a production starring Lenny Henry. The play charts two sets of twins who are separated at birth, only to cross paths years later in the same city. Confusion abounds as Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio search the metropolis for their brothers as strangers in a bizarre and exciting land. This production of the play raises questions concerning contemporary attitudes towards immigration as Aegeon, father of the Antipholus twins is arrested as an illegal immigrant and sentenced to death, only to be reprieved at the last moment.
The play is testament to how funny Shakespeare can be when seen in performance rather than just read, and pupils were heard talking about the characters and mimicking lines in classrooms days later. The rapid pace of humorous exchanges between characters allowed for typically Shakespearean puns to be brought to life with some masterly examples of comic timing. The lavish set created a stunning city effect where characters ran from apartments, cafes and nightclubs in hilarious sequences of mistaken identity sometimes reminiscent of the Keystone Kops.
The play showed that Shakespeare does not have to exist in rarefied isolation and that humour first used 400 years ago can be every bit as funny today. The National Theatre Live format once again proved to be highly successful and a full house showed the popularity of these screenings in Monmouth.