On 10th and 11th May, 55 students across Year 7 and 8 performed a mind-blowing interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the PAC.
Beautifully directed by Teacher of Drama, Samantha Wettreich, the young students handled the challenging language with great maturity and meaning. The production utilised a dramatic set, designed brilliantly by Tom Boase, our Technical Theatre Manager, and featured a steep ramp at the centre of the stage. The dark and murky set was then filled with lights and haze to create a symbolic, eerie and mystical atmosphere which worked effectively for all locations including the castle, battlefield and witches’ lair.
The role of Lady Macbeth was performed simultaneously by two students in an inventive decision to illustrate the character. Audrey performed Lady Macbeth’s innocent qualities whilst Emily performed her more sinister alter ego. The role of Macbeth was expertly played by Miraya, Kerensa and Shobika from Year 8, who all excelled as they shared this infamous and dramatic role. A particularly memorable part of the production was the use of 25 witches who remained on stage throughout the whole play, staying in their frightening characters without losing focus. The witches used physical theatre techniques as they slithered and hissed around the stage to reflect their influence over Macbeth’s actions.
There were exceptionally strong performances from all the students and the whole cast should be praised for their wonderful work on this sophisticated and dramatic production. A final mention should be made of the wonderfully dedicated Middle School Tech Team who worked backstage on the show and operated the lights and sound. This is the first time Year 7 and 8 students have taken on this difficult role and Tara, Elisa, Hanaka, Shree, Minnie and Leanne did an incredible job! Congratulations to all involved!
