A Dark and Mesmerising Retelling by RGS Drama Students
Last week, the Performing Arts Centre was transformed into an eerie moonlit forest for the latest production from Senior Drama students. This two-cast version of ‘The Ash Girl’ provided audiences with a reinvented version of the Cinderella tale. But this was no pantomime: the world marvellously conjured up on stage was dark, sinister, and disturbing.
The tale of the poor, downtrodden and neglected Ash Girl was combined with elements from medieval morality drama – the oldest English dramatic tradition. Throughout the play, menacing figures (half-human and half-animal) embodying the deadly sins seek to control and influence the actions and decisions of the human world. They plot how to lure their victims into error and confusion.
Although the play’s story unfolds in a parallel fantasy world, the play makes telling points about our society’s unreflective and damaging ideas about beauty, self-worth, gender and our destructive obsession with the pursuit of material gain. What is most astonishing is that the RGS cast and crew devised this production themselves. Both casts have worked tirelessly on all aspects of production, choreography, costume, marketing and backstage management.
Across the two casts, the quality of acting on display was impressive, especially as many of the performers were either appearing in productions for the first time or had relatively little experience in similar productions. In cast one, Audrey Hargreaves was memorable as the put-upon but patiently brave Ash Girl. Her performance was thoughtful and endearing. In the other cast, Emilia Giles captured the character’s quiet, submissive nature in the first half of the play and transformed gradually into someone with self-belief and confidence. There were some really interesting and very topical scenes with Amelia Gutteridge and Amelie Lockley as the Fairy in the Mirror. These scenes contained important and timely messages about self-worth for younger audience members to take away.
There were very notable performances from Kez Colthurst and Daisy Jenkinson as the malevolent figure of Sadness, who tries to draw Ash Girl into a destructive spiral of self-loathing and despair. Amir Mirza (an RGS debutant) and Faheem Mohamed were compelling as the impassioned and devoted Prince Amir. All of the pupils playing the Deadly Sins captured their characters’ particular vices with well-conceived physical vividness. In particular, Mikhal Jaercki, as Angerbird, gave a performance full of gurning and furious ire. Kitty Hildred (Slothworm) got laugh after laugh from the audience and her accent work was excellent. Bella Gray a wonderfully preening and vain Pridefly.
Mirrin Hutchins, Mary Laney and, alongside them, Abi Walter, were suitably shallow, loathsome and vain as Ash Girl’s dysfunctional and selfish stepfamily. While retaining their pantomime villain characters, they also treated us to some very funny moments of black humour. In the other cast, the sisters were played by Milly Garner and Verity Bond Evans. They proved a very humorous duo with immaculate comic timing. Hope Bradley and Mya Walford were both sensitive but commanding as Princess Zehra. All the actors, playing either supporting or more lead roles brought real energy, commitment and skill to their performances. It really is extraordinary to have two casts performing to such a high standard.
Well done to all backstage. The lighting was atmospheric and it really enhanced the imaginative stage set. All these elements worked in faultless synchronicity with the music, sound effects and the performers throughout. Several aspects of the stage and costume design stood out. The glowing make-up and hair were very imaginatively used to create a lurid, phantasmagorical eeriness on stage. Well done also to Mrs Witcomb for once again marshalling and guiding another talented troupe through an enjoyable and at times very thought-provoking production.
Mr Nicholas Phillips, Head of English and Mrs Laura Bond, Second i/c English
