Scotch College

The date 18 May 2005 will stand as a moment of great celebration in the history of Drama at Scotch. For the first time ever, we were able to produce a musical on our own terms and in our own space. What a great moment it was to witness the house lights going down and the ominous musical overture, the lighting and the sets establishing the atmosphere of the nineteenth century workhouse.

Through the earlier experience of staging the Junior School’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the technicalities of the new McComas Theatre had been generally solved. But this time, every nook and cranny of the new building was to be utilised to its fullest and every aspect of the theatre’s spectacular design was to be tested – and in a very public way.

Oliver! was the ideal choice to show off this versatility. Ever since its opening forty-five years ago, Oliver! has immortalised Dickens’ caricatures of human foible with the aptly named Mr Bumble, the Sowerberrys, Dodger and Fagin. Against this iniquitous background we all recognise the charming Oliver himself and the torn character of Nancy as she battles with her ingrained loyalty to Sykes, the criminal bully.

Such rich variety of character was a great source from which our actors could draw dramatic inspiration. Audiences revelled as the show’s mood progressed through the pathos of the Workhouse to the rollicking, often ribald musical rhythms of ‘Oom Pah Pah’. In time with this, the sets flew silently and lights changed and reformed to create seamless transitions from one atmospheric moment to the next.

Performing the show involved more students than ever before. In the acting cast, 30 Junior School boys performed as Mr Bumble’s workhouse orphans, 18 boys from Years 7 to 10 comprised Fagin’s gang of thieves and 35 Year 11 and 12 students from Scotch and PLC formed the chorus. In addition to this, there were, of course, the principal roles.

Behind stage, 25 crew moved scenery and operated lights and sound while in the pit, 35 musicians formed he orchestra.

Oliver! will be remembered fondly for a long time as the first Senior production in the McComas Theatre. It gives us an example of just what our students can achieve when provided with such a wonderful facility.

STEPHEN RITCHIE
Head of Drama