DRAMA
THE FALL OF MAN, TWICE AS Theatre Studies scripted pieces: Everyman and Lord of the Flies Harry Hogg (Year 13) Photograph by Marko Marsenic (Year 13) REVIEW
T he AS Theatre Studies showcase of two works performed in the non-naturalistic style of Steven Berkoff, Everyman and Lord of the Flies , dazzled their audience with images of moral and physical decline. First came a modern version of Everyman , an ancient tale of shame, sin and moral decay in which the protagonist Ev seeks to prove his soul worthy of heaven in a desperate hunt for redemption. The actors’ slick, sharp and witty performances breathed new life into the theatrical constant of the morality, which now brimmed with ingenious design and charming characters. As Ev, played by Aidan Williams, turned to his material wealth for his salvation only to be rejected, he was surrounded by a skilful ensemble of Max Edmund, Milo Malcolmson, Amos Edwards, Tommy Graham, Hector Cubberley-Lobb, with their vapid, shallow facades of affection falling away to reveal their shallowness. Milo Malcolmson’s nonchalant, business-like personification of Death was compelling and darkly amusing as he stalked Ev around the stage, crafting a palpable sense of an inexorable threat. All of the actors deftly multi-roled, constantly shifting and moving in and out of the ensemble, performing the parts of friends, family and children as Ev desperately sought some evidence to give worth to his soul. In the second performance of the night a smaller cast presented an ingenious reworking of Nigel Williams’ adaptation of Golding’s classic, Lord of the Flies , which further
illustrated man’s folly and his potential for evil. In less than half an hour, the actors managed to encapsulate the swift and shocking decline of civilised young boys into base and brutal beasts. Shocking in its savagery, this sharp, twisted performance of beautifully choreographed sequences and muscular physicality captured the fine line between monsters and men perfectly. The deconstruction of human morality was captured beautifully through the deterioration of the actors’ costumes. Opening with all wearing school uniforms and conventional clothes, layers were shed with each step away from social acceptability, revealing painted, tribal bodies. Stunning lighting effects by Anthony Light framed the action, with flickering light matching the performers’ movements and perfectly encapsulating the deterioration of both their ethics and their minds. While each actor – Dan Norton-Smith as Piggy, Darrius Thomson as Jack, Freddie Maher as Ralph and Barney Mills as Simon – provided a great performance, it was the superbly choreographed, animalistic ensemble work that earned the piece its excellent reception, transporting the audience in a maelstrom of physical and psychological action. As a result of their incredible efforts and the excellent work of the Drama department, it was no surprise that both groups were awarded full marks for demonstration of skill. They have both set an overwhelmingly high standard for next years’ students to match.
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