From November 27th 29th, Francis Holland School, Regents Park put on an enchanting performance of Shakespeares final play, The Tempest. The production had moments of comedy, romance and a sprinkling of magic. It was praised by all who came to see it.
Mrs Simmons, the director had this to say:
The girls were wonderful to work with. Their ideas and enthusiasm shone through every rehearsal from our initial read-through in September, to our final rehearsal on Inset Day. When the set arrived, the girls were so excited. Suddenly their hard work was framed by a beautiful backdrop of foliage and silk fabric. The sound and lighting added to a sense of place and mystery and the play was transformed into a beautiful production.
When the day finally came to perform to an audience of friends, teachers and family the cast rose fully to the occasion, showing a level of professionalism I have rarely witnessed in a school show. Their characterisation and individual work was superb, but most of all I loved the way the girls worked together, using collaborative skills to transport us back through time and over the sea to Shakespeares imaginary magical island.
Charlotte McBurney (Prospero) said:
Our production of the Tempest was a huge collaborative effort, and I feel so privileged to have performed with such a wonderful cast. We all bonded over a term of rehearsals, and there was such a fantastic array of talent. There were so many moments of humour, like Maia von Malaises hilarious performance as the ostentatious Ferdinand, but there were also hugely touching scenes, like the drowning mariners, with Venice Gainfort-Head held up in a lift. Some of the roles were double cast, and it was extraordinary to watch the different interpretations of the same parts. Emma Radcliffe played the role of Miranda as a rebellious and powerful young woman, while Saskia Teeger made the part a frightened and impassioned daughter. I played the part of Prospero, an ageing, embittered father who seeks revenge. It was an incredible experience to perform one of the greatest roles in Shakespeare at 18 years old, and certainly something I will never forget. Despite the stigma surrounding Shakespeare, we communicated this complex and extraordinary story, and the whole cast had a brilliant command over the language. This has been by favourite production to be a part of, and one of the greatest memories I will have from my 7 years at FHS. Thank you so much to all those who worked to create this show, particularly Mrs Simmons.
