GCSE Drama - Practical Presentations

Date: Tuesday 20 May 2008

As Drama becomes an ever more popular subject at GCSE, and the demands of the course involve an externally moderated stage presentation by a group of, I believe, no more than six performers, then pressure on both staff and candidates increases in the run up to that last evening when, as yesterday, seven different 'shows' were put on for public consumption. And don't forget the pressure on the backstage crew of Hawkins and Hawkins, who, by the end of yesterday's performances had staged at least 21 during the course of the day!

The 24 candidates, 23 actors and actresses, and one sound man - Will Bacon - entertained the paying public from 5.00pm to just after 9.00pm when the curtain went down finally on Mackenzie West and his troupe of slapstick surgeons. 'Stags and Hens', and 'Bench' - not for public scrutiny - had begun the proceedings at 5.00pm, before the doors were opened on the moderated pieces from 6.30. The pieces are either 'scripted' (already written) or 'devised' (pupil written and directed), and the first was 'What Are You Doing Here?', where Arabella Pemberton stood out in a variety of cameo roles. This was followed by 'Last Train', where Bacon's soundtrack was moderated as the cast relived the events of the Ladbroke Grove rail disaster of 1999. Margot Chatenay never got to enjoy the delights of a London weekend with her would-be lover Alex Kirilenko.

Once the moderator had finished his work, we were able to get back to business, and the last three playlets. 'Would you Adam and Eve It?' reminded us of the disastrous consequences of a serpent, an apple and two naive beings in the Garden of Eden, and the lives of long-suffering womenfolk. The slick 'Speed Dating' stood out for me as the best of the evening with the interplay of a quartet in which Henry Kirkness captured the audience. Finally, 'Hospitals', a spoof of television 'Casualty'-style dramas, ending with bewigged surgeons, behind the screen, resorting to hammer and saw to remove sausages fron the intestines of the anaesthetised patient!

A very long day for all concerned, and hopefully worthwhile in terms of GCSE grades. Mr Parsons, at his convincing best, will no doubt have extracted the best from the moderator for all the 24 candidates, who deserve the highest reward after five and a half terms of preparation.