Drama is an excellent way for students to express themselves, and to build confidence in public speaking and performance. Recently at YCIS Pudong Secondary, students from Year 7 and Year 8 took to the stage to perform the play, ‘Hoodie’ – a play based on the demands and challenges facing young people as they navigate their way through adolescence – while students from Upper Secondary performed a version of English playwright Michael Frayn’s ‘Noises Off!’, which lifts a lid on all of the backstage drama and hilarity that can occur when making a play.
The fantastic production of ‘Hoodie’ took a speedy trip through the trials and tribulations of teenage life, covering themes such as body consciousness, biological changes, and fitting in with peers. Set against dramatically minimalistic backdrops and wearing coordinated costumes, the ensemble cast did a stellar job in front of the rapt audience. Their confident performances were peppered with humour but still ensured that the play’s serious themes hit home. It can be easy to forget what it is like to be a young person, with challenges to face and overcome. The cast of ‘Hoodie’ did an excellent job of delivering these messages in entertaining ways, leaving a lasting impression.
For those who have wondered about what goes on behind the scenes of a successful theatre production, the story of ‘Noises Off!’ followed a cast of nine, as they practised and performed a play-within-a-play, while a complicated relationship drama involving several of the cast members unravelled. The student actors did a fantastic job of each taking on multiple roles, and delivering performances packed with humour. The revolving set design was integral to the play’s storyline, with all of its doors, stairs, and even a plate of sardines being utilised for comedic effect.
Drama teacher Ms Brandi Burtts did a fantastic job directing these productions, and the casts of both ‘Hoodie’ and ‘Noises Off!’ demonstrated that YCIS Pudong has some serious thespians across its year groups. We look forward to more plays in the next semester, and are keen to find out which other members of the YCIS Pudong student body are going to appear on stage!
