On tour Taking Miss Herschel to the Herschelschule
Having participated in the biennial Germany tour twice , I feel I can say that 2019 ’ s tour was particularly special .
Perhaps this was because we performed at two secondary schools in Hanover , the birthplace of Caroline and William Herschel . The challenge of bridging language barriers and engaging students with something they knew well ( one school was literally the ‘ Herschelschule ’), required us to dynamically adapt our performance styles according to the atmosphere . This taught us that theatre is truly interactive , as the audience themselves influence each show .
It could have been down to how well our cast and crew worked together ; from ritualistic van unloading , to the techie ’ s tireless work piecing together lighting and sound , to the all-hands-on-deck construction of our beautiful set . The artificial barriers of year groups fell away and a network of trust and friendship grew noticeably within the team .
Or , perhaps , it ’ s because of our final performance . The incredible opportunity to act in the huge , professional Bürgerhaus in Ibbenbüren ignited everyone ’ s performance so much that we were called back onstage to bow not once , but three times ! The intense pride and team spirit felt that night was the ideal culmination of many months of hard work by all involved .
Rhiannon Durant , Upper Sixth
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