Great Scot September 2018 Gt Scot_154_September_online | Page 46

Drama
Entomological drama:
the Year 9 and 10 play
Butterflies, moths, ants, crickets, snails. It
sounds like a compendium of creatures, doesn’t
it? But in May this year, 36 talented Scotch and
Presbyterian Ladies’ College cast members,
along with 12 crew members, brought these
animals to the stage of the Geoffrey McComas
Theatre at Scotch, in The Insect Play, this
year’s Year 9 and 10 play. It was a three-night
extravaganza of everything insectoid. From
the elegant, beautiful butterflies, to the harsh
dictatorial ants, this production provided a
snapshot of a diverse range of human psyches,
drawing the audience into an hour-long
exploration into what makes humans tick.
Four months of rehearsals preceded the
final product, led by the incredible Ms Amy
Christensen. From mini-rehearsals on the small
stage of Drama Room 2, to slightly bigger
rehearsals in the Cramond Studio, to the actual
performances in the Geoffrey McComas Theatre,
it was an amazing experience.
All of the cast threw themselves into their
roles with vigour, constantly attempting to
adopt the physical features and behavioural
attributes of their respective insects. Whether
it be perfecting the ‘ant-like’ marching, or really
nailing the excitable nature of the butterflies, we
all were constantly striving to improve. All of this
effort amalgamated into three stunning nights
of performances and an extremely enjoyable
experience that none of us will forget.
One of the highlights of The Insect Play was
the unique insight it provided into our own being
and psyche. Each set of insects represented a
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unique facet of the human mind. The butterflies
represented the innate passion and curiosity
within us, the ants, our inherent unabated desire
for power, the beetles, our never-ending sense
of ‘want’, and the snails (molluscs among the
insects) a gentle reminder that those who stop
awhile to take in the beauties of the world, often
lead a happier, more fulfilling life. This litany of
deep, complex characters caused not only the
audience, but also the cast and crew, to consider
the true motives behind their actions, in a subtle,
unintentional exercise of psychoanalysis.
Of course, none of these amazing
psychological revelations would have been
possible, if it weren’t for the incredible work of
the teachers in the drama department. The cast
were expertly led by Ms Christensen, and the
crew by the experienced Mr Michael Waugh,
two individuals to whom we are all most grateful.
Their hard work and effort, combined with the
talent of the crew and cast, led to a hugely
successful production week, much to the relief of
all involved.
Overall, The Insect Play posed an expansive
variety of questions which made you deeply
analyse the very basis of your existence. And so,
I leave you with one of these great questions,
in the hopes of furthering your own personal
analysis of your sense of place in the world: does
the world have an inherent purpose, or do we, as
the individual actors who strut and fret upon the
stage, bring purpose to the world?
NICHOLAS KLUCKOW — YEAR 10
‘Does the world have
an inherent purpose...or
do we, as the individual
actors, bring purpose to
the world?’
Great Scot Number 154 – September 2018