Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
The most obvious and important school drama event is the traditional school play. Every prep school puts on a least one big performance each year. This is a little tricky as the school has to choose a play with lots of different parts suitable for children so many children can participate. Often the older children dominate the major school play, but there may be a middle and/or junior school play as well. This rather depends on the size of the school and the emphasis given to dramatics.
It is a very enterprising undertaking to produce plays in which every boy in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Forms has a part to play. This challenge was accepted by Geoffrey Allen in the Easter Term, much to the delight of a large audience which overfollowed from the Font Hall to the Gallery above. The young actors played their parts with exuberance; some played more than one part, under-studying for colleagues who were absent through illmess.
Fanfare (Mount House School), Autumn 1988
It seems most unlikely that a postman should encounter the Three Bears, the Wicked Witch and Hansel and Gretel, a giant plagued by his seven dwarf nephews, Father Christmas and his Elves and the Belmont School children, all in one exhausting day; but that is exactly what our Jolly Postman did in the Junior Play, traditionally the final item in the concert at the end of the Michaelmas Term. No wonder that 'the Jolly Postman, who comes from Holmbury' is always dying for a cup of tea. Thevend of term examinations for Form I and Form II tales place one week before those of the other forms. Therefore, while the rest of the boys are in the New Hall involved in exams, the Juniors and the Pre-Prep. are able to reherse and reherse in the Front Hall, keeping the play a secret until the actual performance. The secrecy is all part of the fun. Its a mad rush for everyone. J.D, S.J. and P.W. come up with the idea of 'the Jolly Postman', scripts are written to suit the actorswho are aged from four yars to nine years, giving everone a part. The production has to be pushed into shape in just over a week. Each year it seems as if we shall never be ready for a public performance but the children sence the urgency, work very hard and, when the Concert day arrives, 'The Jolly Postman', with songs, dances and a wide variety of characters and cotumes, is a great success. Last year it was 'William Tell', this year it is 'The Jolly Postman'. What ever shall we do next year?.
J.D. The Aquileon, (Belmont School, Feldemore), 1986-87
... There is one obvious omission from the above review, and that is any reference to the costumes. The reviewer has deliberately left it to me because I want to take this opportunity of thanking Mrs Anne Rockett forvall the years of coping with my and other producers' multifarious demands. She has that remarable (and essential, at least in prep schools) flair of being able to create convincing costumes out of practically nothing. Added to that she has the great talent in use of colour and design, and, even more important, a patient, calm spirit that does not flap when things get lost at the last minute and deals firmly but kindly with some actors' endless vanity. We shall mis Mts Rockett very much ....
HJL, Great Walstead Magazine 1987.
