The School’s recent production of Robin Hood: The Legend, Re-Written brought the classic tale to life with a fresh perspective and outstanding performances from students. Featuring a feminist twist, a bold reimagining of well-loved characters, and plenty of humour, the show was a hit with audiences. To give you a closer look, we caught up with three of the production’s stars—Cassia, Leah, and Ed—post-production to hear about their experiences, from audition nerves to memorable moments on stage. Here’s what they had to say.
Why did you decide to audition to be in the School’s production of “Robin Hood: The Legend, re-Written”?
Cassia: As a Exhibitioner and Drama A Level student, Mr Hornsby was really keen for me to take part, and it was a fun opportunity to explore the classic myth through a feminist central character. Joan Little is relatable, anxious and learns to be brave to help her friends. She shares a great message, and the double-act nature of working with Zara was a lot of fun.
Leah: I really enjoy being in shows, and was really excited to play one of the principal characters. Maid Marian is a well-known character and is usually shown as more of a damsel in distress. In this reimagined version of Robin Hood, she’s an active protagonist – she coaches Woodnut and has to redeem herself which was an interesting challenge. Plus I got some really fun lines!
Ed: I thought it would be fun, and playing Gisburne – the ultimate bad guy – was definitely a lot of fun!
Can you describe your character in three words?
Cassia: Stage fright, comical.
Leah: Witty, cunning and cautious.
Ed: Brooding, intimidating and silent.
How did you find taking on the role of your character? were there any challenges?
Cassia: I was really anxious about the ‘dog jaw’ line. There’s a joke within the play where I have to bark at another actor and it was so out of my comfort zone. Like I said before, Joan Little is really relatable – having this silly moment was important for her as she reunited with the King, and knowing I wasn’t going to be barking on my own helped!
Leah: I had so many lines. Being in most scenes was a lot of work, mentally and physically.
Ed: I wasn’t expecting to shave my head, and I also lost my voice due to all the shouting. Gisburne is a very angry character, so portraying that rage took a lot of energy and rehearsals weren’t as energetic for me as I had to protect my voice. I lead the choreography for the fight scenes, as I’d done some stage combat training before, and it was fun working with Cyrus on that.
How did manage to balance your time between schoolwork and rehearsals? Did you find it difficult?
Cassia: I found it a bit stressful, and can’t say I balanced my time all that well. I did manage to learn all my lines, so I’ll take that as a silver lining!
Leah: Planning ahead was the only way to do it. I’d get my friends to run lines with me during free lessons, and made a point to plan ahead for when I’d get the work done.
Ed: I found it difficult, but worth it.
Can you share a funny or memorable moment from rehearsals?
Leah & Cassia: There were a few times when we’d say our lines wrong – but the best times were when Cyrus, playing Will Scatlocke, mistakenly described one of the characters as “this girl’s wife” instead of mother.
Ed: Rehearsals were generally really fun, narrowing it down is really hard. At one point, whilst waiting for my scene, I put the seat arms up so I could stretch out and rest. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, and only realised I had when I rolled off the chairs and woke myself up. I also said “I have taken some wife…” instead of “taken some air…”.
Did you get nervous before going on stage and do you have any tips that you can share to combat the nerves?
Leah: I always drink a lot of water. I’d find my water bottle empty at the end of the night, but it helps keep me hydrated and that always helps my nerves. It meant I could focus on being heard, and what I was supposed to be doing.
Cassia: I remember reading somewhere that excitement and nerves release the same hormone, so switching your thought-process helps turn it into excitement – breaking through the nerves.
Ed: I don’t really get nervous, but taking some deep breaths before going on stage helps with any nerves. My advice would be you can’t really get drama wrong, your worst performance will never be as bad as you worry it’ll be.
If you could play any other character in Robin Hood: The Legend, Re-Written, who would it be and why?
Leah: Gisburne, for sure. That would be fun. Or Mary.
Cassia: I’d play Baldwyn.
We would like to once again commend the students and staff who dedicated their time in bringing the production to life—whether performing on stage, working tirelessly behind the scenes, or managing sound and lighting. Your hard work and commitment truly shone through, and it was wonderful to see it all come together so well.