FORTY-two groups from 20 schools around Wellington competed for a spot at the University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival nationals last week. One 15-minute and one five-minute long scene are selected in each region to progress to the national competition, but because of high participation numbers, three groups were selected from Wellington.
Wellington College made the cut with their 15-minute portrayal of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by drama teacher Jan McLean.
Chilton Saint James’ five-minute production of Cymbeline, directed by students Alice Sherwood-King and Brianna Cox, also got through.
“It’s great to see students choosing different plays. The girls who directed it acted in it as well,” says Dawn Sanders, chief executive of Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ (SGCNZ).
“It’s very mature for two young people to understand the idea of someone trying to take your love off you. Although I suppose they do nick each others boyfriends,” laughs Sanders.
From Onslow College, directed by student Neenah Dekkers-Reihana, a 15-minute production of Macbeth was selected.
“They did it with Macbeth in a toy box with a ballerina on top, being manipulated like a puppet by the three witches. It was very innovative,” says Sanders.
Dekkers-Reihana will also attend the next SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company, where a selected group of students flies to London to study and perform at Shakespeare’s Globe. Sanders suggests Dekkers-Reihana is one to watch.
Tim Macdonald of Wellington College was selected as an outstanding student with direct entry into the nationals.
Porirua College student Ngaupoko Taratoa won for outstanding performance in a comedy. It was the college’s first entry into this festival.
Other awards were won by Jan Fraser Tankard of Wellington Girls’ College; Queen Margaret College students Grace Ridley Smith and Lauren Andrews; Connor Macrae of Scots College and Jessie Fenton of WGC.