‘Amazing,’ ‘incredible,’ and ‘a dream’ were just a few of the words used to describe our epic production which the cast of Upper Senior School girls from Burgess Hill School for girls and boys from Central Sussex College worked tirelessly to produce during the autumn term.
Taking on the task of Chekhov’s highly acclaimed ‘The Seagull’ was no easy feat; set in 1890’s Russia, the play charts the lives of a wealthy Russian family and the trials and tribulations of love, romance and social restraints.
Chekhov set out to try and show ‘Life how it really is and men how they really are’, so the cast were in for a rollercoaster ride, learning how to produce three dimensional, realistic and believable characters within the bounds of classic naturalism.
The cast and crew bonded instantly and became a tight group of close friends and had no problems developing both characters and banter, yet they all still managed to maintain a mature and professional approach to what is considered one of the hardest pieces of acting ever written.
Mrs Meredith-Jones’ inspirational direction led to a flawless, gratifying and outstanding production. In classic Chekhovian style, the set is as important as the acting and audience members were not disappointed.
Our teachers, Mrs Potter, Mrs Simms and Mrs Meredith-Jones worked hard to source authentic costumes and props so that the audience were presented with a set and costumes that could be mistaken for a West End stage.
Well done to all crew members who managed to transform the stage from an outdoor setting to a dining room and finally a study, with ease and precision. A special thank you must go to Gus, Theo, Greg, Toby, Harry, Will and Olli – students at Central Sussex College in Haywards Heath, for making this possible, along with Mrs Potter, Mrs Simms and of course to the one for whom without, this whole thing would not have happened Mrs Meredith-Jones.
‘The Seagull is unlike anything I’ve done before. It just so happens that when you bring great talent from two different places you can produce two things; ever lasting friendships and a beautiful production’ were words spoken from one cast member; words that sum it up brilliantly.
‘This is one of our best yet’ was a comment I heard from a fellow student as I cleared the stage after our final performance, and I couldn’t agree more.
Written by Isabel Widdowson, Sixth Form student and Stage Manager