The Centre of Excellence for Performing Arts
was created in 2010 as a response to consistently high achievement within the area and an eagerness to extend the extra-curricular offer beyond the norm. It works on many levels, enabling students to fulfil ambitions and reach goals that might otherwise seem out of reach.
I
t’s silly, implausible (not that this should stop us) and incredibly indulgent (not that this has ever stopped us!!) but we love it, not just as a nation but as a world. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is performed across the planet throughout the year, despite possibly being written for the wedding of Lady Berkeley in the 1590s. The play’s longevity is perhaps to do with its frivolity, its utter disregard for reality and common sense – what need is there for these when we are transported to a world that supplies nothing but mistaken identity, humour and a feast of intense love and adoration that would make the fickle hype of 2011 seem rather pale by comparison. In 1780, a Swiss weaver by the name of Ulrich Braker, wrote some of his thoughts on Shakespeare’s plays with a pamphlet entitled: A Few Words about William Shakespeare’s Plays by a poor ignorant citizen of the world who had the good fortune to read him. ‘I don’t want to run down your dream, but I just can’t make it out. The whole tone of the piece doesn’t appeal to me. If ever I dreamt of entering a community where affairs are conducted in this tone then I’d leap out of bed, I’ll be bound, without even waking up!’ The following two centuries saw interpretations by Garrick, Irving, Granville Barker; Peter Brook’s extraordinary interpretation in 1970 and a host of others throughout the world that set aside Shakespeare as the greatest playwright of all time. So what is the secret behind this particularly frivolous play? In short it would have to do with the amount of interpretations, cuts, insertions, corrections, more cuts, added comedy, edited comedy, Freudian manifestations, conventional surroundings, unconventional installations, actor-manager controlled performances, ensemble performances and then a complete rethink and a mindset that reverts back to the original intentions! Got it?! What interests me most about this play is its 19th Century life. In 1840 Madame Vestris, an English actress and contralto opera singer, brought the original text back to life and took the role of Oberon – bolstering it up with lots of ballet and vast musical mood setters! She also cast a female Puck and created a huge spectacle for her increasingly educated and demanding audiences. This seemed to set the scene for the next seventy years or so when both parts would be played by women and only changed for good in 1911 when Beerbohm Tree staged his vision with live rabbits to further enhance its woodland feel! Our Oberon and Puck are played by actresses and this seems to compliment the strength of the women within the play. In our version Hippolyta is particularly resistant to Theseus’ demanding advances, having been captured and made to marry her subjugator. Hermia is steadfast in her decision to marry Lysistrata and Titania continues her refusal to give in to her husband’s demands, leading to the comedic elements that so dominate this piece. This has not always been the case and often interpretations offer a compliant Hippolyta only too happy to stand by her man. The use of space in this production is perfectly compact. It meanders from Athens into mysterious and magical places. Our studio perfectly houses levels and we’ve had a lot of fun with these. The dedication of our students is always quite incredible and we are very excited about the year we’ve had – reflecting back on three enormous productions and looking forward to the three ahead whilst also remembering the dozens of exceptional curricular performances in between! Thank you for your support and please log onto our website to further explore the exceptional value of the Performing Arts. MATT PLANT (Artistic Director)
Cast in no particular order... ADAM ROBERTS/THESEUS: Adam came to the Sixth Form from Great Sankey High School. He has previously played Prospero in The Tempest, Fagin in Oliver and Gregor in Metamorphosis. Adam looks forward to another year at Cronton on the Foundation Diploma in Art. He has just completed his Physics exam and sat his A2 Theatre Studies exam a year early.
REBEKAH DEWHURST/PETER QUINCE: Becky came to the Sixth Form from Bankfield and has just completed her A2 year. She has played Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins, Donna in Kvetch, Calonice in Lysistrata and more recently Rosie in My Mother Said I Never Should for the Minimum Wage Theatre Co. Becky has just finished her English exam alongside Theatre Studies and Media. TOMMY WASHINGTON/LYSANDER: Tommy has appeared in a variety of musicals including Mary Poppins and Carousel. He has played numerous roles whilst at the Sixth Form and Bankfield and will be playing Professor Higgins in the forthcoming Autumn production of My Fair Lady. Tommy recently finished his AS exams, including Geography and Psychology as well as English and Theatre Studies. KATIE FLETCHER/PUCK: Katie attended Christ the King Centre for Learning and has just completed her AS Levels at the Sixth Form. She is interested in many types of theatre and is eager to explore more areas of performance in her A2 year in Theatre Studies. Her other subjects include History and English.
VICTORIA EARLE/FLUTE: Vikki has just been awarded a place at The Arden Theatre School in Manchester. Her most recent role was as the witch in Into The Woods here at the Sixth Form and she has just completed her A2 year. She attended the Bowring Community Sports College and has been awarded Grade 7 in Musical Theatre.
APRIL McCABE/TITANIA: April went to Fairfield High School and has appeared in a variety of productions in the borough and beyond including Return To The Forbidden Planet and Grease. She has just finished her BTEC in Performing Arts at Riverside College and is going on to study the subject at Hope University.
BRUNA MARTINS/PHILOSTRATE and OBERON: Bruna attended Longdean School in Hertfordshire and has appeared in a variety of performances including The Merchant’s Tale and The Crucible. She studied a BTEC in Performing Arts at Riverside College and will be going to university in September.
HANNAH OLDFIELD/HIPPOLYTA and FAIRY: Hannah came from Bankfield High School and is one of our Scholarship Students for Performing Arts. She has appeared in The Royal Hunt for the Sun and The Pound Coin whilst also working within the Minimum Wage Theatre Co. Hannah recently finished her AS exams and is looking forward to her role as Mrs Pearce in the forthcoming My Fair Lady. GEMMA FOXON/HERMIA: Gemma attended the Bowring Community Sports College and has appeared in The Wizard of Oz and Oliver. Apart from her work as a vocalist for the Riverside Funk Orchestra, Gemma studies a variety of A Levels including Chemistry and is once again part of the team following her success in Jesus Christ Superstar.
CHRISTIAN ANDERSON/BOTTOM: Christian attended Huyton Arts and Sports Centre for Learning. His previous performances have included Blood Brothers, Knowsley 3000 and Holocaust Remembered. He studies Theatre Studies, Film and Performance Studies A Level at the Sixth Form and takes part in a vast array of extra-curricular activities - most notably the recent Parr Street Studios recording sessions.
CHLOE MILLINGTON/HELENA: Chloe attended Bankfield High School and has just completed her first year on the BTEC Performing Arts programme with Riverside College. Her previous performances include Julius Caesar and Big Sister’s Clothes and her work with the Minimum Wage Theatre Co enables her to act out of college as well. She is currently learning lines for her new role of Eliza in My Fair Lady to be perfomed by the Sixth Form in the Autumn Term. KRISTIAN DUDLEY/DEMETRIUS: Kristian came from St Edmond Arrowsmith and has clocked up a variety of theatre credits in his time at the Sixth Form, including: Nicky in The Vortex, Donald in Blue Remembered Hills and the Ghost of Marley in A Christmas Carol. He has just finished his AS Levels and is looking forward to the A2 year ahead. DYLAN LAMBERT/EGEUS: Dylan attended The Grange High School and has performed in many performances both in Runcorn and Widnes. Most recently he played Raymond in Blue Remembered Hills and he is looking forward to the new year ahead where he will add Woyzeck and My Fair Lady to his credits.
Rehearsals:
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR...Matt Plant MUSICAL DIRECTOR...David Lloyd Mostyn
Incidental & Vocal Music by: Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) David Lloyd-Mostyn (1981- ) Christopher Schlechte-Bond (1992- ) Oberon Festival Orchestra Flutes Emily Doan Helen Woodwood Oboe Emma Morton Clarinets Jane Rowlinson Abigail Harding Bass Clarinet Jack Lancaster Bassoon Gemma Sapp Horns Kim Steele Janet Coulson Trumpets Tom Jenkinson Peter Coulson Tim Walker Trombones Adam Taylor Tom Wright Percussion Terry Doyle Samuel Rogerson Violins Alice Brockman Owain Sutton Georgina Williamson Angela Lloyd-Mostyn Patrick Blunden Cellos David Hornberger Elizabeth Walton Ashley Walsh Chorus Paula Gent Janet Whittingham Steve Mitchell David Huthwaite
Front of House: Maxine Mealey Set assistance: Kirsten Leigh Ass’s Head: Paul Fay Costumes: Jane Pepper Act V directorial assistance: Daniel Cambridge Special thanks to Sharon Graham, Helen Smith, Mark and Jo Smith Very special thanks to AMBER SCOTT who plays our little flower girl. In September, Amber will become a Year 7 pupil at Wade Deacon High School.
2 1 0 2 1 1 20
NEXT YEAR’S EXTRA CURRICULAR PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME. CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.