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This term our Lower School & Sixth Form drama students worked on a series of devised and impromptu pieces and techniques, all of which culminated in a fantastic end of year performance. Ms Galouzis loved the energy of her students this year and felt that "it was fantastic getting back into school… and working with the students in person, as opposed to online."
The aim of this project was for Drama Club to work on pieces which explored the impact of lockdown, both on them and the wider community. They worked collaboratively to share their thoughts and explore ideas before writing their short play together.
This ensemble piece explored the impact Covid has had on a variety of characters and themes; from key workers and the elderly, to the impact of being taught online on parents and students, to how it felt to not be able to buy the bare essentials when shopping in supermarkets.
One poignant scene at the beginning of the performance showed how when the first lockdown began, many set themselves high expectations of what they would 'achieve' during this time of relative isolation, such as learning a new language, getting a six pack through regular exercise and becoming a star baker. However once the novelty wore off, many hoped to simply achieve survival; to make it through this difficult period in their lives.
Some scenes were humorous and many very poignant. Lola's rendition of 'Rise Up' powerfully wove between the scenes and highlighted the emotional current which ran through the piece. With such a short amount of rehearsal time (less than a day's work!) it really did feel like 'a play in a day'! However, the students pulled it off and were able to show not only their commitment to the piece but how well they worked collaboratively, learnt new skills and had fun along the way.
Ms Galouzis particularly enjoyed how students explored that at first their wishes were materialistic and excessive: 'I want a gold iPhone encrusted with diamonds!' but by the end, their wishes reflected how important the things that we originally took for granted were…'I want a hug!'
Ms Galouzis and the drama department thanked the following students for their input and enthusiasm: Skyla, Carlota, Chantal, Stephanie, Omar, Anais, Mariia, Veronika, Fadwa, Sophia, Lola, Oisin, Lou, Demi, Guillermo and Felix for his technical help.
Watch the full video below – well done to our Drama Club students!