Girls
L i ke
That
An energetic performance of an honest,
thought-provoking play exploring gender
equality among the digital generation.
The SSTC production of Girls Like That was staged by
Old Sennockian Hannah Sands (OS 2014) and a small
group of Lower Sixth in March. It was performed in
the round in the Ordovsky-Tanaevsky Drama Studio
to a full house, making it an intimate and immersive
performance.
Evan Placey’s Girls Like That is an ensemble play
exploring the pressures on young people today in
the wake of advancing technology, making it a highly
topical and current piece. When a naked photograph of
Scarlett is circulated at school, her friends turn against
her and she chooses to stay silent. The cast tackled
this difficult and current subject matter with maturity
and made it a powerful and hard-hitting show.
Despite the seriousness of the message, the play was
incredibly entertaining. There were fantastic moments
of comedy that sent ripples of laughter through the
studio. The vigour, passion and enjoyment of the cast
was palpable, and they were able to maintain focus
and a high level of energy throughout.
One of my favourite aspects was the dance sequences
that separated the action. The cast performed
complicated dances to modern songs at points of
tension, helping to maintain the play’s continuous
energy and optimism. The skill and choreography of
the dances was impressive, and it was clear the girls
were enjoying themselves.
After a performance to the whole of Year 9, the cast
held workshops discussing and teaching the younger
pupils about the dangers of the internet, and how to
deal with bullying online and offline. This PSHE aspect
of the production was a real strength as it further
explored these significant and relevant topics in a
fun and modern way.
Overall, it was a fantastic show that combined
humour with a serious message in a powerful and
enjoyable manner.
Tech Crew: behind the scenes of the Sevenoaks School Theatre Company
Most technicians’ roles can be understood by theatregoers; dealing
with light, sound, and audio-visual effects, or set and props behind
stage. However, full technical teams for large shows, such as last
year’s Mnemonic, can contain as many as 12 technicians, ranging
from followspot operators to backstage and prop managers. To
organise this widespread team – both by skills and physically in the
theatre – each show has a Deputy Stage Manager, or DSM. They
form a nexus for interactions between the branches of the team,
and to the directors, as well as coordinating the various effects
during the play.
During rehearsals, the DSM acts as a liaison to the directors; they
collect notes on changes and put forward any questions or requests
from the rest of the team. This role is especially important during full
cast rehearsals – noise levels are frequently high and having a single
speaker lends clarity to conversations carried out between the stage
and the tech box. These changes are then disseminated amongst
the crew via closed-circuit headsets, which we use during shows to
ensure quiet communication. This role is mainly for the light, sound,
and AV operators, as backstage technicians can reach the directors
easily from the wings.
During the shows themselves the DSM is in charge of all the
technical crew, making contact with backstage before the show
starts and handling all timings for effects. Frequently, the DSM will
be the only one with a script, and they tell light, sound, and AV
operators when to run their effects. As a result the script can become
full of various cryptic markings with updates and revisions pencilled
in as neatly as possible.
Finally, the DSM acts as a safety net for other trainee technicians. In
the event of either issues with equipment or performers, the DSM
can take control to fix or mitigate the problems. In my shows as a
DSM, I’ve had to deal with sound failure, lights going AWOL, and
even a performer outright fainting on stage. Remaining calm is an
essential part of the role!
Ned Geake, Lower Sixth
Holly Ingram, Lower Sixth
“Remaining calm is an
essential part of the role!”
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SEVENOAKS SCHOOL 2017-2018
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