College – Issue 32

The boys have their say

our age group signed up for auditions. It was so much fun, especially with the actors having to be stage crew. I’m really looking forward to signing up for the senior production next year.’’ Chorus member Jim Gibbs admits that in the final days before the curtain went up, he had some doubts about whether they would be able to pull it off. “I felt we were doomed and it wasn’t going to happen as it was all so chaotic. Then Ms Peers came in looking happy and said it was like this with Bugsy [last year’s junior production, Bugsy Malone ] and it was all okay on the night. Because she and Mr Chambers are so experienced, we knew that if they said it would be okay, it would be. So we all pulled together and it happened.’’ Jim says he enjoyed the choice of play and thought it was really appropriate for their age group, as it had an action focus rather than an acting focus. A highlight for him was the incredible set which the crew had put together in a weekend. “We came in on Monday and the theatre techies had put it together over the weekend. It made us all feel that things were really happening,’’ he says.

Props organiser Tom Tothill has usually been on the acting side of a play, but was really enthusiastic about taking a backstage role in this year’s junior production. “I thought it would be interesting to look at the techie side of things and was amazed to see just how much work goes into a production. So much that you don’t see goes on backstage, such as the lighting. It was a real learning experience for me.’’ Long John Silver, played by Dominic Edmond, was indeed a challenging role, not just because of the actual demands of the important role, but because Dominic had to wear a peg leg brace to keep his leg pinned back throughout the play. “The College drama department has had that brace since 1996 waiting for an opportunity to use it. I was the lucky one,’’ says Dominic. “I took it home for the Christmas holidays and practiced sitting down, falling over and walking on and off stage, so I got quite good at it. It really was fun!’’ Dominic liked the choice of play, although is quick to mention he would like to do a production with girls sometime. “The play certainly got the boys’ attention and we were all keen to sign up,’’ he says. “In fact, over half

College Issue 32 2017

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