Drama

DI FRANCIS

Head of Drama

THEATRE IS NEVER AUTOCRACY – IT IS COLLABORATIVE -– KHURSHED K. MEHTA Any production – be it a Broadway show or a school play – demands collaboration, and on the night of a performance the audience will know whether an element of harmony was present in its making. This will be seen between actors, their expressions, action and reaction as well as overall stage production, set changes, soundtrack and so on. For me, creating the 2015 Kaiser House Play Thirteen Days was one of the most confronting yet inspiring aspects of writing, directing and managing people.

From the very inception of the play’s plot, the impetus and craving to compose an ‘award winning’ script was a little overwhelming. I had chosen to write a political play: a dramatisation of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, but it soon became evident that it could not have been developed without the input of the actors, visual artists and all other crew. Due to underestimating the depth required of the characters in this play, we were heavily dependent upon the actors for a noteworthy performance. Being a first-time director presented the grand challenge of not only having to convince my fellow colleagues to adopt these characters – but to take them to heart. One had to appreciate that when accepting this gruelling role – they also accepted (as a by-product) a responsibility; a pledge to commit themselves to the fullest. Initially, we had misjudged the importance of collaboration to the extent that after the final stage-dress rehearsal, three days before the night of performance, it was declared an “unpractised, raw” and “incoherent flop” due to poor direction and a lack of ensemble harmony. It became clear that the actors were not at fault. Rather, it was the responsibility of the director to ensure an acceptable performance on behalf of the actors. It was at this point that I realised: theatre is never autocratic – it is collaborative! While the actors might be the only ones we see on stage, it is the writers, directors, visual artist, costume and set designers, stage manager and so on who make a production a success. These are the people who are the ‘body’ of the production; they contribute from start to finish. Without them a performance is merely a script; an unexecuted notion that is awaiting to be put into action.

The Kaiser House Stage Crew came to understand and appreciate this idea at the end of a rather disappointing dress rehearsal. It was with this acknowledgment of the true nature of theatre that then obligated us to do everything in our power to make it a successful production. Next thing we knew – our collaborative approach had won us the House Drama Shield.

This experience has taken not only me but the whole crew through a

rollercoaster journey of stress, exhilaration and pride. The epiphanies encountered were of such an immense nature that words cannot really adequately describe the emotions we all felt before, during and after the performance. In the end, however, it became obvious to me that, instead of thinking “I couldn’t have done it without them”, the first thought that came to mind was “We couldn’t have done it without us”.

REFLECTIONS ON HOUSE DRAMA – XAVIER THOMPSON In the few weeks prior to the House Drama Festival I had some of the most memorable times with the Seniors of Maughan. Although the extra hours after school and on weekends were a slog, the Seniors as a whole became a much closer group of boys. The laughs we had practising and the fun we had on stage were some of the greatest times in Maughan that I have had. To the younger boys, I urge you to get involved with House Drama, as the relationships that you build with the boys around you determines your enjoyment of Year 12.

HOUSE DRAMA FESTIVAL RESULTS – MS D FRANCIS The depth of talent and creativity among our students always amazes me. Once again packed houses were entertained by 12 dramatic productions that ranged widely in their interpretation of the theme “Getting There”. Congratulations to all who participated and in particular to the six students who were awarded Goblets for Outstanding Dramatic Excellence:

Trent Sinclair (RAD) .......................................... Director/Actor Harry Kerr (MAU) ..........................Playwright/Director/Actor Jesse Layt (McK) ..............................Playwright/Director/Actor Liam Priestley (TUR)......................Playwright/Director/Actor Khurshed Mehta (KAI)........ Playwright/Director/Vision/Actor Jed Eglington (THO) ...............Vision/Media Co-Coordinator

The Adjudicators’ Award went to McKinley House for their sensitive and mature treatment of serious life choices.

THE HOUSE DRAMA FESTIVAL RESULTS 1. Kaiser 2. Turnock 3. Radcliffe 4. McKinley 5. Maughan 6. Melbourne 7. Atkinson 8. Thorold 9. Delpratt 10. Walker 11. Surman and Biddle

The TSS Theatre Crew provided outstanding technical support for the festival and I thank them for their selfless commitment.

THE GOLD COAST SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DRAMA FESTIVAL: BILOXI BLUES – MS D FRANCIS This year the Year 11 Drama class entered the play Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon into the Senior Division of the Gold Coast Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival. This project commenced as an assessment task in Term One and was extended into a full production with performances at TSS and at All Saints Anglican School in the drama festival. Ms J. Ingles awarded the seven cast members with the highly prestigious Academic Creative Studies Awards.

After performances here at TSS, the cast and crew transferred the production to All Saints to perform in the festival that ran over three nights with 13 schools participating. The cast and crew presented an excellent play that was polished and confident and met their personal goal of improving with each performance. The adjudicator was very impressed by the teamwork of the cast and the strong sense of ensemble work. He also admired the balance between comedy and pathos and congratulated the cast on their use of American accents and the polished production elements such as the supporting music soundtrack. The cast would like to thank the TSS crew members and Mrs Williams and Mr Hellier for their help. A number of Highly Commended Certificates were awarded to: the Ensemble, a “Magic Moment” – Opening Train Sequence, Sound Track, and for Acting: Isaiah Richardson, Samuel Cookson-Butler and Trent Sinclair.

Samuel Cookson-Butler and Trent Sinclair won the two Outstanding Actor Awards (in a Supporting Role) Cast List: Samuel Cookson-Butler, Beau Foort, Harry Kerr, Tipene Mavoa, Daniel O’Neill, Isaiah Richardson and Trent Sinclair.

TSS Theatre Crew: Sound: Harrison Goodman, Lighting: Harrison Goodman, Stage Crew: Lachlan Chesterman, Michael Murdoch and Jack Hickman Congratulations on an excellent production.

TSS THEATRE CREW ARTICLE – HARRISON GOODMAN As a member of the TSS Theatre Crew I have been involved with setting up and running assemblies, working closely with the IT Department helping with setting up of the Tri-Service practices and I was lucky enough to be involved with in work experience with Old Boy Brendan Robinson at the Dancing with the Cars Festival in Main Beach recently.

I was involved in running the technical crews for the school’s entry of Biloxi Blues in the Gold Coast Drama Festival held at All Saints. We were lucky enough to work with their professional sound technician. I have also made a lot of new friends from my experiences in Theatre Crew and learnt some very good life skills.