Wednesday 6 July 2016 The curtain came down on the school year with a variety of drama productions – Y2’s farewell performance as they prepared to move from Rose Court to Junior School, Y6 performed The Peace Child to mark the end of their primary years, and Senior School students produced Much Ado About Nothing outdoors. The grand finale was an innovative production based on William Golding’s classic novel Lord of the Flies. Y11 student Ilana Pearce reviews the play: The cast and crew of Lord of the Flies are met in GSAL’s theatre by a full house of visitors who brave the abandoned amusement park ‘Blackgang Chine’. Accompanied by the peaceful chirping of birds and the splashing of ocean waves, the children emerge with their uniforms torn and their spirits disheartened. As the play develops, a divide between the group creates a stark contrast. While reasonable leader Ralph and his friends Piggy and Susan take a logical approach to finding rescue, Jack bullies the youngsters into joining his own pack of savages with the aim of hunting and killing the ‘beastie’. The impressive set, designed by Frankie Haywood Y12, features a mass of draping shrubbery, a dilapidated aircraft and a luminous image of the beast which penetrates the darkness. Combined with sound effects such as terrified screams, thunderstorms and pigs squealing as well as an array of gory props, our Darkside technical team creatively portray the horrors facing the stranded tribe. This talented cast performs brilliantly, gripping the audience with their energy throughout. Piggy and Ralph, played skilfully by Jenni Greenfield Y10 and Rob Woods Y12, share an endearing friendship, and the dynamic between the commanding and sinister Jack, played by Sam Pearce Y9, and the other children works perfectly. Highlights include the depiction by Jessica Seldon Y10 of Susan’s madness and the symbolic murder of Piggy by the tenacious Robyn, played by Ellie Burgin Y12. Rob Woods said that while playing Ralph was a fun experience, it’s a “tiring role which takes a lot out of you.” Jenni Greenfield, who stars as Piggy, said that “creating tension on stage was challenging” and she was at times “scared by the other cast members!” General Primary Senior School
