SAM COWELL (YEAR 9) REFLECTS ON THE EXPERIENCE: It was a cold Monday morning in November, with students and teachers alike tramping back to school after the half-term break (some with willingness, some without). Not the ideal circumstances for playmaking, some might say. However, on that cold November Monday morning, a company of 35 Year 9s from Dulwich and JAGS assem- bled in the theatre for what was to be a whirlwind three days of learning lines, staging scenes, nearly breaking props and meeting new people. The space had been transformed: the seats removed, the floor painted and some authentic compositor trays and printing presses procured. After a short introduction from Mrs Norton-Smith, Mr Wignall and Mr Elliot, we all gathered in the theatre to break the few timid signs of awkwardness with some name-learning games, before diving straight into a full read-through of the play. It was so exciting for all of us to be part of such a new project, it being a newly com- missioned work written by the incredibly talented Ollie Norton-Smith. If anyone thought that there would be time for endless games and long breaktimes scrolling through phones, their dreams were quickly squashed, as we got on immediately with the staging. The worlds in the script were so vivid, from the excitement of backstage in the Shakespearean theatres to the hurried, busy print shop – The Half Eagle and Key – to the drunken, noisy, chaotic atmosphere of the Anchor Inn; all so intricate and detailed that they con- sumed most of the time for the first two days.
Outside of the theatre, the cast also bonded, build- ing close relationships with everyone else, which was needed to pull off a project of this size in such a small timeframe. The collaboration and teamwork that went into getting the play ready in three days was amazing. Learning the history behind the play was fascinating too. Performing on the exact anniversary of the original First Folio’s publication, we really felt connected to the events, people and places the play was written about; the production of the play itself was like the First Folio, with everyone rushing around to produce something incredible. The performances themselves were brilliant. We staged a short extract on the Tuesday evening in the Labo- ratory to launch the Archive exhibition as well as the beautiful art installation created by Year 12 artists, and our showcase performance was on the Wednesday evening. As the play was performed in promenade with the audience standing, as well as audience interaction, big characters were vital, and were delivered. We were a bit squeezed for space, having anticipated an audi- ence of around 20–30 rather than the more than one hundred who turned up, which meant that they were truly immersed in the pop-up worlds we conjured. Overall, it was an incredible thing to be a part of – three chaotic, fun days filled with acting, playing and per- forming. The verdict, at least for me, was overwhelm- ingly positive. This was certainly the best way to spend a few cold November days! ◉
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DRAMA & DANCE
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