Audiences were captivated by Bloxham students’ compelling performance of Lord of the Flies last week.
This stage adaptation of William Golding’s original story has been an enjoyable challenge for Bloxham students and a change of pace after last year’s successful musical Schools Will Rock You. The decision was made early on by the students that they would like to be ‘genderless’, avoiding the need to alter names or characters depending on their casting, and, whilst the narrative originally calls for an all-male cohort, the cast successfully demonstrated universal themes and ideas.
Daniel Parker, Bloxham’s Head of Productions, has done a fantastic job in leading the students through this challenging piece, helping them to understand the text’s complex themes, and directing them to deliver the play’s central message with impact. A stripped back performance, it contrasts sharply with last year’s musical extravaganza and has taken real bravery on the part of these young performers. Meanwhile, the cast’s decision to make the tribe genderless has added a modern twist to William Golding’s mid-century classic, giving extra meaning to today’s audiences.
“One of the toughest constraints of a ‘straight play’ is that there are minimal characters and therefore fewer participants, but the students have coped exceptionally well.”‘‘- Daniel Parker, Head of Productions
Whilst the cast is small, the back stage effort has been huge. Indeed, the production would not have been possible without the large number of staff and students who have worked tirelessly over many months to design and build set, create costumes and provide first-class technical support. Special thanks go to the DT Department, Sally Brittin-Snell and Pete Fry for their unparalleled contribution to the visual construction of this production, and to Daniel Parker for his continued effort and support in the Drama Department.
Finally, well done to our fantastic cast who put on a brilliant display of skill, and made the show a gripping watch!
To view photos of the performance, click here.