Abingdonian 2017

11 www.abingdon.org.uk Lent Term Micha l as Term And Then There Weren’t Any Left This year the third year play was the spin off of the well-known Agatha Christie Novel And Then There Were None . We were extremely honoured and grateful for Edward Rowett, an Old Abingdonian, to write the script for us. As well as having the tension and guessing game that a murder mystery has, the play in essence is perfectly crafted comedy. The play demanded timing articulation and bold characterisations from the 13 cast members. We were all able to work together to give a performance of enjoyable surprises that produced a well rounded show that we all loved. As with all performances, the auditioning process is always an interesting one. I remember entering the room recognising some faces and then the director, Mr Ben Phillips, came out and told us about the audition. It then continued by person after person going into the small drama office outside the drama studio and giving their own individual performances. After that concluded we engaged in the usual group activities: reading through the script, working on small sections of the text, and so on. The auditioning really helped me get a feel for the play and start to understand the depth and layers within the characters and the plot. I would say that one of the most tense parts of the process was the final rehearsal. I remember that we had more than one fatal tech issue and there were aspects of the performance that should have been ironed out much earlier than the final rehearsal. As an actor you are vulnerable to making more mistakes this close to the performance than before because you no longer have the security of the next few rehearsals. It was a very hard period but you battle through with the rest of the cast. If you were to go up to a stage actor and ask them why they do drama and what they do, they would say because they love performing, and it is no different for us. We love performing and we do it for that big night. You wait backstage paying no attention to the audience, and just focusing on your performance and the show. You listen to the hushed silence as the lights go down. You wait for the reaction to the first few jokes in the play. Then you step out into the spotlight and soak up the enjoyment. Samuel King, 3BJLP