Summer Production Auditions Underway

Auditions are underway for this summer’s Lower School production of Kenneth Graham’s novel ‘The Wind in the Willows’. The production will involve pupils from Year Eight and Nine and will be directed by Teacher of Drama, Mr Jak Garrity. This will be Mr Garrity’s first RGS production and for many pupils it will be their first time performing on stage.

Published in 1908, ‘The Wind in the Willows’ celebrates nature, friendship, loyalty, and adventure and details the story of characters Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and gets into trouble.

Auditions received excellent attendance with over 30 pupils joining each audition session with three auditions held in total. Lower School pupils were guided and supported by A Level Drama students and Scholars throughout their audition to help them develop their characters and physical theatre ability and act as assistant directors.

For the Lower School auditions pupils were set three separate tasks, the first of which involved creating a short physical theatre scene of the creatures waking up. Pupils were given freedom of choice to decide what they wanted their character to be with the focus of the exercise being to develop animal-like movements and explore their chosen character.

The second task involved performing ‘The Weasels’ Song’, the villains of the ‘The Wind in the Willows’. The task involved vocals and physical theatre, building on the developing skills from the first task. Pupils performed the song as a chorus with a focus on their physical and vocal performances to demonstrate that they are playing the part of tough, menacing villains.

The final audition task was to create a scene of ‘Toad’ driving erratically through the countryside. Again, using physical theatre Lower School pupils created the shape of a car and demonstrated it moving frantically across the stage.

Mr Garrity comments, “I am delighted to be able to help, support and direct this Lower School production, we have such an exciting production ahead!”.

This summer’s production is set to grace the Performing Arts Centre stage for three nights, on 21, 22 and 23 June. The cast reveal is imminent on February 9 along with the script reveal.

We wish all Lower School pupils involved and Mr Garrity the best of luck for this forthcoming production, we would be delighted to welcome you to this performance.