Laxton House’s wry and devilish performance of C S Lewis’ Screwtape, adapted by James Forsyth was first up this Term. Directed with real wit and clarity by Sophie Lee, and ably assisted by Charlie Willis, this was a singular evening as C S Lewis’s quirky novella was brought to life by the young players. Special mention to Joseph Meisner and Edward Cubitt as the principal devils. They brought these supernatural fiends to life with a humanity that was pivotal to the stories success.
In October we were treated to the rehearsed reading of Lizzie Martin’s (N) new piece The End Of The Line. This was an impressively polished affair for a new play’s first outing, and was a fine example of how the Stahl Theatre is inspiring a new generation of auteurs as well as performers.
The last School production to grace the Stahl stage before the Christmas break was Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Directed by Stahl Director Simon Aylin, and with musical direction by Head of Music Quentin Jones, this was a vast undertaking. With drama and music departments pulling together a cast of thirty-five and a band of twenty, the Stahl was filled with thrilling creativity.
With the help of a twelve strong team of student backstage crew, every inch of the stage was used, along with every light, microphone and plug socket.
The result was an extraordinary evening of high notes and low deeds. Charlie Willis (L) and Lizzie Martin (N), as the vengeful Sweeney and the grotesque Mrs Lovett, were a revelation, whilst Harun Tekin’s (S) Antony was as open and sweet a performance as you’ll see on any stage. This was a production full of gleeful dread that many will not forget in a hurry.
S Aylin
