JCoSS Drama KS3 Drama Company wowed their audience at the Arts Depot Finchley with their adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest for the Shakespeare Schools Festival. This was an amazing opportunity for young JCoSS students to perform in a professional setting with the expert direction of a Year 13 aspiring actor Benjy Smokler.
One of the Year 9s who took part in The Tempest, Natasha Werblow, has written a delightful paragraph explaining her experience within the Shakespeare Schools festival:
The tempest was a really fun experience. I felt what it was like to perform in an actual theatre and it was very different as we had a student director, Benjy. He was very dedicated by making time tables for all of our after school and lunch time rehearsals. They were fun, and enabled us to learn our lines and scenes. During the last few rehearsals we became very focused and the team pulled together. We completed dress rehearsals and went to the Arts Depot for a technical run through which was a fabulous experience. Multiple teachers supported us on our costumes and rehearsals, including Miss Puchalski, Miss Granek, Miss Withers and Miss Hixson. It was an amazing experience and I would love to do another show like this. Natasha Werblow Year 9
The cast also had a fantastic opportunity to perform their production to Year 7 in the MPH. Sam Gordon has written a fantastic review based on his experience, please see below:
I was lucky enough to watch the performance of The Tempest performed by Years 8 and 9. The eight scenes lasted approximately 35 minutes, with a cast of 12 budding actors. The tempest is a tale of revenge, love and magic, set on an enchanted island. Staging a show about a shipwreck presents obvious challenges when there is limited stage, scenery and props. The performers overcame this by forming the shape of the ship with their bodies, swaying at Ariel’s control to convey the stormy weather. This was very effective choreography as was the contemporary ballet of the islands spirits, enhanced by the music. Costumes were kept simple and rustic, in muted and natural shades. Overall, this was an impressive production, which stayed true to the original verse. If I could have changed one thing about my experience of the play, it would have been to have improved visibility by raising the stage. Sam Gordon Year 7.
It is clear to all that the cast of The Tempest thoroughly enjoyed their time together, and the final performance was full of skill, focus and creativity – incredible!
Thank you to all students, parents, guardians and staff who supported this performance.
