The Abingdonian 2019

23 www.abingdon.org.uk Michaelmas Term Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies was written in 1945 by William Golding. Over time it has been developed into a movie, and written as a play. We started rehearsing after Michaelmas half term - that feeling of getting a new script in hand is always an exciting one! As always, rehearsals got off to a steady start, as we read through the script for the first couple of times to get to grips with the plot. We then got onto the acting side of things, and that’s when the real fun began. Everyone worked really hard in rehearsal to find their character; Ben Smith as Ralph and Dylan Kaeuper as Jack quickly created a fierce rivalry for each other. The other boys in the cast also worked very hard forming the remaining stranded schoolboys on the island, all with the important role of moving the drama and tension forward to its tragic ending. The show was fast evolving into a very dramatic and intense piece of drama as rehearsals drew closer to Christmas time. Lines were frantically being learnt, characters and relationships were forming strong connections with each other, and everyone was thoroughly enjoying the experience of being part of such an exciting venture. Excitement doubled when we found out about the first ideas for the set! The idea of actual sand and palm trees being on stage with us was amazing and really gave us more confidence to fully commit to the demands of the performance. The ensemble of forest creatures (a new edition for this version of Lord Of the Flies ) was also starting to come together to represent the ‘beast’ that is so often referenced through the play. Some of the choreography used in the final piece was absolutely amazing. Simon’s (Freddy Chelsom) death was one of the main highlights of the show, and that was down to the contributions from the ensemble, for it took much focus and timing from them to make the gestures and physicality through the death sequence look seamless. Performance nights had arrived; those unforgettable first night nerves had started to get to all of us and there was real energy and excitement amongst the cast. Waiting in the Ingham Room, going over lines and waiting for our cues was very tense indeed! Curtain call was called and we all assembled in our starting positions, hearing the audience pour into the theatre. Getting out on stage to present the piece to the audience is always the best part of the process. Both shows were excellent, lines remembered, cues on time. It looked a real finished product which was what we had all been aiming for and working towards. Thanks so much to Mr McDonnell for directing the show and putting up with us! Also, a humongous thank you to the fantastic tech crew for bringing a real desert island into the Amey Theatre, and maintenance staff for doing everything they did to make it such an enjoyable experience - thank you very much. Eddie Good (Piggy), 4NJH