Drama Enrichment Screening and Post-performance Discussion
A screening of Vanya took place last Wednesday for our Drama Scholars and Enrichment students, followed by a discussion the next day. Hear how Year 9’s Marina felt about Simon Stephens’ reimagining of Anton Chekhov’s classic play.
Year 9’s Marina
Last week, Drama Enrichment students (a group of students eager to improve their Drama knowledge) had the opportunity to watch Simon Stephens’ reimagining of Anton Chekhov’s classic play Uncle Vanya. This was a one-man show performed by Andrew Scott.
Andrew Scott played each character with apparent ease, transitioning between the eight roles seamlessly. Scott really made the audience believe the characters he talked to were there. At points the mood was so tense you could even picture the characters in your imagination. The play was charged with emotions, ranging from frustration to despair. Scott captured each emotion with sensitivity and brought out the vulnerability in each character.
After watching the screening, we had a post-performance discussion. I think this is the most important part as we can share and listen to others’ thoughts and opinions.
During the discussion, we talked about the design of the show. Not only did Scott have to play each character he also worked the stage himself; from pushing the swing to moving the curtain. We felt this made his performance even more commanding and we were amazed at how he was able to keep the audience’s attention.
For those of us who were lucky enough to see it, it provided inspiration and encouraged me to explore different types of theatre. It was a very enjoyable experience.
