Year 10 Drama Evening sets the stage for senior years

On 1 September, three Year 10 drama classes took to the stage with short plays that balanced wit, imagination, and theatrical daring at the annual Drama Evening. As a prelude to the Senior Play Series, the night offered a glimpse of the talent emerging from the Middle School.

The first performance, Over the Wall by James Saunders, was delivered by Steph Cooke-Allen’s class. The absurdist piece probed questions of division, fear, and human behaviour through the story of islanders confronted with a wall whose origins and purpose were unknown. The ensemble carried the play with incisive narration and sharp characterisation, injecting humour and unease in equal measure.

Dave Sheehan’s class followed with a brisk and irreverent adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The production reached its pinnacle when the Great and Terrible Oz loomed in silhouette behind the cyclorama, confronting both audience members and Dorothy she was sent to challenge the witch.

The evening concluded with Lauryn Edmonds’ class performing 10 Ways to Survive the End of the World. A satire of pop culture’s fixation with apocalypse, the piece was a riot of killer bunnies, alien invasions, and incoming asteroids. The cast sustained an anarchic pace, their comic timing landing squarely on the audience of family and friends.

The Year 10 Drama Evening demonstrated the growing maturity and capability of our performers, affirming their readiness to step confidently into the more demanding stages of Senior drama. Reflecting on the evening, Head of Department Dave expressed that, “The greatest benefit of studying drama is the people skills you gain and the connection you build with others. Through doing productions like this, those benefits are multiplied because you really rely on each other. I know that these Year 10 students have bonded into a motivated, caring, and cohesive group. I’m looking forward to seeing their growth through their Senior years.”