HOUSELIGHTS shine in first Devised Piece
Foremothers… A Houselights Devised piece
Those who ventured to the Drama Studio in the Sixth Form Centre on March 9th and 10th (and there were, thank goodness, plenty of us) enjoyed a really exciting evening…
Foremothers told the story of the1621 “Tobacco Brides” and how they came to be shipped to Jamestown in West Virginia to be married to the European settlers of the West Virginia Company. What could have been a dry history lesson became a fascinating, fast-paced exploration of the backgrounds of 4 of these women.
Many of the students involved, although mostly 6th formers, are not actually taking drama A Level, but the understanding of what they were trying to achieve, the level of concentration and focus, and the absolute commitment to the whole cast and overall production suggested that perhaps far more of them should be!
In devising the play themselves, they tapped into many of the Frantic Assembly techniques; seamlessly moving from scene to scene with any staging/prop movement as part of the action, a high level of physical energy, and a real reliance on teamwork. Much of the play contained ideas alien to our ways of thinking now, yet the cast had fully grasped how the women would have felt then, without inflicting 21st century sensibilities and emotions upon them as so often happens in literature today. The maturity they showed went well beyond their years.
Mr Smith explained “We began this project with one leading question: ‘How desperate must a person be, to leave the life they know behind, to start again in a world where uncertainty, hardship and hatred await?’ The idea of starting afresh often appeals - but when the journey is fraught with danger, when lives are literally on the line, that decision takes far more courage. Throughout history people have been displaced by war, poverty, famine, natural disasters, genocide and more. No one would risk it all unless they felt they had nothing else to lose. This is a story that transcends the ages. America was built on immigrant people looking to escape oppression, starvation and persecution and yet today immigrants are portrayed as a problem, a strain on society… it is a one-sided argument that creates division when history has shown us that those looking to mark a new start often stimulate positive change despite the challenges they face. Today we look back at these brave pioneers with a sense of wonder… so why do we view others with a sense of fear or disdain?”
“From a personal perspective, this has been one of the most rewarding journeys I have been on in my career as a teacher. There is something incredibly dangerous about devised work, not knowing what you will end up with. It is an organic process that requires full commitment and trust from the ensemble. I have been so impressed and inspired by their creativity, their risk taking and their immense focus and drive. These students willingly sacrificed evenings and weekends for several weeks, never settling for ‘okay’ but always striving to improve with each and every performance. We told the story of the Foremothers but we told our story too in the way we wanted to. There was not a single member of the cast or crew who didn’t make substantial progress themselves as performers and practitioners. If this was assessed work they would all have been awarded A* - I’m so incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”
A huge congratulations to all involved, and to Mr Smith for masterminding (directing). This has whetted my appetite for Houselights’ future productions, and, once again, made me proud to be part of a school that takes the performing arts so seriously.
Cast; Freya Bartlam-Morgan, Maisie Chambers, Kirsty Clapham, Camilla Comincioli, Alicia Gasser, Thomas Gravelle, Lily Howse, Freddie Kilner-Jones, Bessie Molyneux, Samuel Mountford, George Pearson, Summer Scholes, Lennon Searle, Apollo Stocker, Rachel De La Barra Stone, Ruby Tipple, Daniel Young
Production Team: Adrian Smith, Jaan Richards, Courtney S. Hughes, Grace Williams, Daniel Young, Audrey Benjamin, Richard Potter, Ruby Redmond, Tara Vidal Von Ronn, Edmund Rudland, Lauren Kirby
Report: Lynn Myhill