The Alleynian 706 2018

DRAMA

Lower School House Drama Finding the spotlight Performing for the first time in House Drama is a big experience. Here, Sachin Shukla (Year 7) explains what it was like for him, as he took on the part of Little Red Cap in Drake’s version of the Red Riding Hood story, by the Brothers Grimm

I n my shimmering red cape and glossy red cap, I felt the spotlight gleaming in my eyes. A sudden surge of energy rushed within me, boosting my confidence, but I was still trembling. The audience felt so close. Beside me, acting as my grandmother, was my friend Archie Bowers. I gave him a sharp stare and we began. Around six weeks previously, Miss Akrill and my director, Pierre Menuet, agreed that they were going to give me the lead role of Little Red Cap in Drake House’s entry for Lower School House Drama. The theme was Grimm Tales and I was extremely excited. Rehearsals were often absolute chaos, but this was the place where all ideas for the play were generated. All the break- times we missed were truly worth it: rehearsal after rehearsal, brainstorm after brainstorm, we practised until

we knew exactly what we needed to do in order to make everything spectacular. The big night arrived. A few hours before the show, I really felt the nerves kick in, but when it was time to get ready, I whipped my cape around my neck, tied the string in a knot, then slipped my cap upon my head, leaving it slightly slanted to the left. It was show time! The show was running magnificently: no nerves were rushing any longer. All I felt was a sense of happiness and enjoyment washing over me. I exclaimed my final lines and the lights dimmed, until the crowd disappeared out of my sight and a round of applause slowly faded away as I exited behind the curtains. It was all over; now I had to wait another whole year before we could do it all over again!

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