Year 8 SVAPA Midsummer Nights Dream
Every year at Mount Lawley Senior High School the Year 8 Special Visual and Performing Arts (SVAPA) students, begin the year with a camp that allows them to become comfortable around each other.
This allows the students to form bonds and relationships with individuals and together as a whole group.
This establishes a framework from which teachers, Ms Thomas and Ms Diggins can teach the students to perform and create a show for numerous audiences.
The new students in the program begin their school acting careers by adapting Shakespeare's classic "Midsummer Nights Dream" play, into their own.
Each year the teachers and students collaborate to adapt the old classical play into a new version.
This year the SVAPA students used a 70's theme of rock and roll to create an adaption of the play they could call their own.
The theme of Kiss and rock and roll continued throughout the hour-long performance, which used the two drama classes in an organised half show each.
Ms Diggins class began the performance, incorporating the classic text form the original play and using humour to create a wonderful show for the audience.
The show started with a number of tableaux that helped to establish the characters and their personalities.
The play continued using fast paced rock music to help incorporate the 70's theme into the show and offer clear adaptions of the characters when applied to a rock concert theme.
The numerous characters were all given particular jobs within the rock concert such as stagehands and performers, whilst also acting out the characters within the original play.
Two of the actors performed a self-written song live on stage, where they both sung and played the guitar.
Ms Thomas's class also continued the rock concert theme and established the characters using classic rock songs from various artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.
A live performance from the year 12 rock band helped to bring a real life concert feel to the performance and allowed the audience to relate to the play.
The love story in the play itself was shown through humour, which is enjoyable for the audience.
The play itself is mystical love story between Hermia and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius, however there are many complications along the way.
The year 8 SVAPA's used a vibrant and creative set, including a hammock that was used as a bed and an elaborate staging set up.
Actual instruments and speakers were scattered around the stage and a smoke machine was used to create a realistic fog effect in a fighting scene.
The students all agreed that the play was an exciting experience and although some have performed before, everyone learned something from creating the play.
"I wasn't very nervous because I have done dancing before, but this was an amazing experience and I was happy with all the audiences support and performing with the SVAPA kids as they all gave everyone complements" (Eli)
"Doing the play was a thrilling experience and it was fun to organize and figure out the play, even though things were often complicated. Midsummer Nights Dream was a good introduction to SVAVPA" (Davis)
"It was loads of fun acting with our friends, knowing what to do and being able to adapt and improve the play until it was nearly perfect! I also enjoyed giving the audience a great experience" (Ashleigh)
All the students were proud of their achievements and were encouraged by the audiences support.
The students performed three times, twice for parents and guest and once for their peers in their community.
They all enjoyed performing and producing something after all their efforts and hard work.
The students agreed that the performance for the students was the most difficult, but the community seemed to have enjoyed the show.
The performance by the students was unique and wonderful.
The students really settled into their roles and gave the performance of their lives, improving everyday.
Their adaption of the Shakespearean classic was new and exciting and included many new concepts never been done before.
Both teachers were happy to see the play finally coming together, despite their own nerves.
The students and audiences had an enjoyable time, using the interactive stage and different set designs to create a magical performance.
The play used humour and the original text to give it a classic dimension in contrast to the 70's theme.
