Over 40 students from Year 10-13 were involved either on or offstage in the redesigned Hampden Hall as performers dazzled audiences with their sensitive, detailed and heartfelt performances in this year’s senior musical, Once from 15th-17th March 2023.
The level of talent was extraordinary, as students sang, danced, acted, designed and rigged lights, called cues, mixed sound levels, filmed, stage managed and totally owned their individual and collective roles.
Student actors, technicians, musicians, and film crew blew audiences away with their commitment and maturity, creating performances that wouldn’t be out of place on any professional stage in the country for nuance, enthusiasm and dedication to challenging subject matter and narratives.
Having started rehearsals in October, Once was a colossal effort from students and staff in Drama and Music and was a fantastic achievement by all. With dazzling choreography, firecracker dialogue and heart-breaking ballads it was a privilege to sit in the packed-out, three-sided auditorium, equipped with sofas for show week!
This rehearsal diary from U6 Drama Scholar Aron perfectly sums up the attitudes of the whole company, and captures the essence of what the company were trying to achieve:
There’s an all-encompassing feeling amongst the cast that this play is delicate; each character feels real and requires diligent work to bring them to life… The efforts of the band members within the setting of play to come together and create an album perfectly parallels our attempts as performers in devising our own version of Once – we knew going in that the journey wouldn’t be without issues along the way, but ultimately our determination kept us striving forward until we had something we were proud of.
Working to breathe life into every page, I’ve learnt that underneath all the ballads and humorous dialogue, Once is a story of love, support and putting aside your differences to create something meaningful and important. I like to think that in constructing this performance, we have done just that, giving you something that will be remembered for years to come.
All students should be proud of their achievements, and we look forward to the next production.
Mr Norton-Smith (Director in Residence)
