By Sandy Jones S6

Back in the distant past of the first term, when I decided that it was high time that someone organized a drama festival I had no idea of the pain, stress and loss of hair (as Mr. Wyllie will appreciate) that it would cause its participants. But none of us can forget the final elation that we felt as we took our bows on 21st February.

In the past the school drama festival has always been a highlight of the year. Who can forget the legendary Wordplay? But this year it was clear that some things were going to be different. With the sad loss of the previous Drama Convener Miss Mort and also Lorne Campbell of Forge Theatre and the introduction of our beloved new drama teacher Mrs. Douglas it became apparent that the entire fabric of the drama festival had to go through a well thought out change.

As we knew that there would be far less support and organisation for the pupils this year in the absence of Lorne, we decided to keep to a smaller format than in previous years. A group of sixteen sixth years, plus the fantastic Ingrid MacKay from S5, was assembled to perform a series of short plays. The organizational skills of Paola Cardenas, Ashleigh Reid and myself were put into action and shortly before the Christmas holidays we decided that four plays that were to be included. “The Bald Prima Donna” by Eugene Ionesco was to be the main part of the festival with two directors and a cast of six. The excellent Stephen Welsh was to do two smaller plays - “Night” by Pinter where he was accompanied by Catriona Easton, and also a memorable performance of the Chekhov monologue "Smoking is Bad for you". Finally, Katie Simpson and Nicole Brandon put their writing skills as the stars of CSYS English to good use in “The Strange Pajama Party” staring Hazel Wilson and Simon Donne. As the 21st February got closer we enlisted the help of “The Lighting Crew” Mr. Denholm, Mr. Masterson and Mr. McKenna who were a great help. Also Mrs. Douglas put in a huge amount of work in the final weeks and for that I will be forever grateful.

"The Strange Pyjama Party"

This whimsical story of an angel (Ariel) and demon (Jake, appropriately played by Simon Donne) was an ambitious play explored the relationship between good and evil. It was clever, funny and excellently cast, Chris Duncan came up with a fantastic performance as the voices of both God and the Devil, and with cameo appearances from the writers/directors the play was a great success. Outstanding performances from the two main characters were at the root of its success. Simon Donne gave a smooth performance in a role that fitted his character perfectly. Hazel Wilson was convincingly angelic in her role and a clear, sharp performance also drew much attention. As the only pupil-written play this was an excellent example of the talent available in GHS drama.

“The Bald Prima Donna”

Ionesco’s famed masterpeice in mockery of English patriotism was a jolly good success, featuring absolutely marvellous perfomances by an excellent cast, and was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening. Instrumental in this was the directorial talents of Paola Cardenas, aided by an improvisational cast, which gave an impressive and amusing sense of the surrealist ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ movement. The main characters, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, played by Sandy Jones and Sophie Reid, revealed the magnificent acting talents of both pupils, being convincing yet ridiculous. These performances were matched and complimented by Ingrid Mackay and Derek Salmond who played Mr. and Mrs. Martin. All four showed the highbrow and asinine English stereotype that Ionesco was mocking with skill and subtlety. They were greatly aided by a talented supporting cast of Andrew Barr and Catriona Easton, who played the Fire Chief and Mary, the maid. “The Bald Prima Donna” was a great success, undoubtedly enjoyed by all and deservedly the feature of the whole evening.

“Night”

“Night” is a short but touching play by Harold Pinter, depicting a married couple attempting to remember the details of their first meeting. Although they never agree on the particulars, they show these to be irrelevant by the depth of their love for each other. So, pretty soppy then, but Stephen Welsh and Catriona Easton revelled in this play, which was a showcase of both their talents. Both had a great stage presence and a very relaxed attitude in front of an audience. There was a fantastic chemistry between actor and actress in a very difficult play filled with repressed emotion.

“Smoking is Bad for you”

This monologue is one of Anton Chekov’s highly regarded vaudevilles, and takes the form of a lecture delivered by the lonely and pitiable Ivan Nyukhin. However, instead of delivering the lecture on the harmful effects of smoking, he movingly recounts details of his personal life, such as his controlling and unpleasant wife, uncaring daughters and difficult job. Eventually he breaks down completely, and reveals himself to be a worn out shadow of his younger self, desiring peace and rest. The play ends on a poignant note when Nyukhin notices his wife off-stage, and immediately reverts to the pompous façade of a lecturer. The monologue is perhaps the most difficult dramatic technique to master, not only must the actor keep the audience’s attention but he must also learn the lines. Stephen Welsh managed to do both in a beautifully controlled performance, filled with emotion. This proved to be a fitting end to a very successful night even if finishing on a slightly sombre note.