‘Romeo & Juliet’
By William Shakespeare
An adaptation set in 1960s
By Miss E Govier & Mr N Kiernan
Weds 11th, Fri 13th and Sat 14th July 2012
In the Main Hall
This year’s Junior Play was an adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ set in the 1960s in ‘swinging’ London. The show was a sell out success and I am very proud of all three performances. I would like to thank all of the students from Years 7 – 10 who took part; actors, dancers, technical and backstage crew. The show was put together in literally 7 weeks! The students were issued with scripts in week one, auditioned in week two and then rehearsed for four and a half weeks. I am stunned by what they have achieved in so little time. This is unbelievable considering that any upper school performance usually takes three months to put together! I am very impressed that they learnt their lines in such a little space of time and inhabited their roles so quickly. I am very excited about what they will be able to cope with when they are old enough to be in the Senior School Play; Coriolanus?! Seriously everyone; you were amazing! I would also like to thank the following specific people who have supported me and helped the play come to life. Mrs Nicolaides: For directing the youngest members of our cast in the school room scenes. (You see that’s what happens in a real Owen’s lesson; we tell amazing stories!) You also injected a real sense of fashion madness into the Vogue scenes. You could hear Mimi coming a mile off what with those shoes and that voice! Thank you too for organising the Technical Crew and ensuring that so many younger members of the school had the opportunity to operate the sound and lighting desks. They really were a credit to you and the whole production looked so professional. Mrs Barron: For ensuring that backstage no one EVER talked! And for training both your daughters to have the same powers...it’s scary! Seriously though, you had a really lovely group of students who were invisible unless you looked really closely as were very very fast in the dark! Ms C Anderson: I don’t really know how you managed to choreograph four dances in so little time! You worked really hard to make the dancing look so authentic and slick for the 1960s and the girls have had so much fun with you. Mr S Wilcock & Mrs R Lloyd: The set looked fabulous as always. I loved the Op Art swirling centre piece and we had some authentic Mondrian on the side. The modern feel for the Montagues’ pad provides a perfect contrast to the wooden panelling interior of the Capulets’ home. Josh Anderson: Thank you to Josh (our oldest member of crew) for ensuring a quick and effective rigging (2 hrs...that’s pretty impressive) on Sunday in time for our Technical and Dress Rehearsal...yes that was Monday...and it was a very LONG day! Alice Rafter: Thank you for coming back and helping out with the Hair and Make Up. It was rather nice to have you around creating a sense of calm and order backstage. Your legacy lives on in the capable hands of Charlotte, Sara and Lizzie. The baton has been passed in our own personal Dramatic Olympics! Jessica Barron: For coming back and helping out. I know you’ve left and as you rightfully pointed out, ‘What on earth am I doing here? Everyone else is on holiday! This is mad!’ However, we would not have managed without two stage managers with a Traverse set; mayhem would have ensued! Jasmine Barron: For spending many hours after school measuring many students, forcing them to try on ‘the orange horror’ and other such delightfully named costumes in the name of 1960s fashion! I know you will be making lots of props too in your spare time so thank you in advance for that too; I know that they will be thoroughly authentic. Front of House: Thank you to all the teachers who manned (or ‘womanned’!) the ticket office each night, especially Mrs Fosh who was there tirelessly every night. Chaperones: Thank you to all the teachers who looked after the cast backstage in their dressing rooms and patrolled the corridors each night; Mrs M Fosh, Mr T Melling, Ms C Anderson, Ms A Brooke, Mr S Aladiran and Mrs M Conte. Thank you also to Jordan Shum and Ed Kiddle who also helped out backstage. The Costume Store: For ferrying many costumes back and forth. It’s not easy finding costumes for students who are not grown adults and we had some interesting experiences with suits! I was really impressed with the whole ‘look’ and members of the audience agreed that they felt that they were stepping back in time. Green Room: For the loan of the plush velvet curtain and the candelabra for Juliet’s ‘tomb’. Their next production is ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ at our local theatre The Wylliotts Theatre on the 6th ‐ 10th of November. The Caretakers: Well the set wouldn’t have been there if you weren’t because I certainly couldn’t do it on my own! (Hernias and back injuries galore!) Thank you so much for all your hard work and for locking up after us. I am very grateful.