Presented by Hastings Girls' and Hastings Boys' High Schools
Director: Alan Powdrell
Assistant Director: Jenna Eastwood
A word from the author -
When I was at school I thought that Shakespeare was impossible to understand and incredibly boring. Then, one day, a brilliant teacher switched on the light for me and showed me what I'd been missing. I've been hooked every since. I defy anyone to watch Lady Macbeth in full flow and find her boring. I've tried to find a way to say this in Living with Lady Macbeth but I've got to admit that the best lines in my play are by Shakespeare.
Sleepy Hollow - Presented by Hastings Girls' High School and Lindisfarne College
Directed by Alan Powdrell - Produced by Rob Dowling
Musical Directors: Mrs A Frankum and John Snowling
'Sleepy Hollow' a joint Lindisfarne College and Hastings Girls' High School performance, was yet another successful dramatic and musical show directed by Alan Powdrell and produced by Rod Dowling (Lindisfarne College). The show told the tale of a small American town in the late 19th century haunted by ghosts and ghouls, and most frighteningly by a headless horseman.
Lead female characters Lauren Marshall, Lauren Kilkolly, Claire Shuker, Hollie Ryan and Rose Seton showed their acting skills perfectly and even lent their voices to singing a song or two. Musical directors, John Snowling (HOD Music at Lindisfarne College) and Alana Frankum (our Hastings Girls' High HOD of Music), created a spooky yet extremely humorous musical canvas which was entertainingly painted by the budding skills of our young performers.
Thank you to Mr Powdrell who added yet another fantastic musical to the Hastings Girls' High School repertoire.
Man of Steel
Presented by
Hastings Girl's High School
and
Lindisfarne
Directed by Alan Powdrell - Produced by Rob Dowling - Musical Director: Mrs A Frankum
Man of Steel was a spoof on the classic Superman tale. The forty cast members all gave their very best to make the show a resounding success. The Man of Steel himself, Charles Davidson, portrayed the role of a bumbling superhero very realistically and it was small wonder that he fell in love with the lovely 'Daily Trivia' reporter Linda Street, played by Jessica Mangan, as her voice would melt most hearts. The nasty terrorist, Olga, played by Charlotte Riordean, delivered another sterling singing performance. Olga was very ably helped along in her nasty endeavours by the four main male baddies, played by James Ault (Bugsy), Ryna Harper (Crusher), Ben Goldstone (Knuckles) and Brad Richards (Killer). Grace Stephenson, Rebekah Sherratt and Janine Chisnall delivered the roles of gorgeous, gossiping, cleaning ladies. Jerry (Marc Edwards) and Bobby (Sam Beanland), after much discussion and surmise, helped save the day, ensuring that our superhero survived as the only hero.
Passengers
By Fiona Farrell
Directed by Alan Powdrell
By Arrangement with Playmarket
Passengers' is a somewhat daring departure from the typical school production - unlike most; the characters are actually based on real people.
The play chronicles one of the many voyages to New Zealand from England undertaken by young women - often as young as 12 - alone during the initial migrations here.
Alan Powdrell, the show's director, says it is a play about courage.
Writer Fiona Farrell agrees, after studying diaries left from voyages by these faceless young women, she comments, "They (the voyages) were very adventurous. I think that's why New Zealanders are still like that."
Another aspect differing from the norm is the size of the main cast - 18 talented girls from Years 9-13 portray the passengers, along with four boys from Hastings Boys' High School. The show begins as the group gathers at a dock in London, England, ready to embark on a voyage where they have vague, if little idea where they are going. "It's scary, because we're re-enacting their feelings of being so alone - isolation is the main theme", says Carys Lloyd who plays Martha Bluett. "Venturing across the world by themselves" director Alan Powdrell points out. Caroline Taylor, 12 years old, one of the lead's lines - "This place New Zealand - is it past Africa?" "They had no idea where they were going," says writer Fiona Farrell. "They were just sitting on a boat going somewhere."
