Pre Performance
Over the last week the performers, teachers, backstage and technical crews have been preparing for the three big performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday trying to make this one of the best musicals this school has produced. Even though on Friday last week teachers were doubting we would be ready for the performance dates and we might even have to postpone the show. Everybody has pulled their act together and are ready to wow everyone in these three big spectacles.
Even though people have been practicing for most of last term the musical is really starting to come together with lights, sounds and all the rest being added over the last week. Yesterday's performance was a great success with our own year 7 students as well as students from St. Michael's and St. Mary's attending. Yesterday you could see all the effort people have put in and even in the hectic scenes the musical turned out well. Like always Saturday is expected to be the star performance although the other two performances are guaranteed (by Mr. McCann) to provide a great and entertaining time.
From my perspective the musical is going to be a hit event and everybody should attempt to attend one of the performances. I have been running sounds from last Friday and have seen the obvious improvement made by the actors and actresses over the last week and if you are in doubt about how well it will turn out I will quote Mr. Szota, 'We have a show."
Tickets have been available at the school office and online and will be available at the door. We hope to see you there.
-Jackson C.
Over the last week the performers, teachers, backstage and technical crews have been preparing for the three big performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday trying to make this one of the best musicals this school has produced. Even though on Friday last week teachers were doubting we would be ready for the performance dates and we might even have to postpone the show. Everybody has pulled their act together and are ready to wow everyone in these three big spectacles.
Even though people have been practicing for most of last term the musical is really starting to come together with lights, sounds and all the rest being added over the last week. Yesterday's performance was a great success with our own year 7 students as well as students from St. Michael's and St. Mary's attending. Yesterday you could see all the effort people have put in and even in the hectic scenes the musical turned out well. Like always Saturday is expected to be the star performance although the other two performances are guaranteed (by Mr. McCann) to provide a great and entertaining time.
From my perspective the musical is going to be a hit event and everybody should attempt to attend one of the performances. I have been running sounds from last Friday and have seen the obvious improvement made by the actors and actresses over the last week and if you are in doubt about how well it will turn out I will quote Mr. Szota, 'We have a show."
Tickets have been available at the school office and online and will be available at the door. We hope to see you there.
-Jackson C.
INTERVIEW - Actor
Maxwell Warren (Year 12) – Sherlock Holmes
Interview by Mitchell de Roo
Q1 – What do you usually do in order to get into character? DO you do anything to get into character?
I did a lot of research on Sherlock Holmes after I learnt that I had gotten the role. I looked at some of the old films, books, and shows. Essentially I looked at the cases and how he acted in the circumstances surrounding each one. This gave me a predetermined opinion on how he acted in these situations, and gave me some inspiration on how to portray my character.
Q2 – Are there any similarities between yourself and your respective character? If so then what similarities do you see?
Holmes is an interesting character; depending on who is creating the events surrounding him, they can write him and interpret him in different ways. He has been portrayed as a snobbish person who believes he is intellectually superior compared to everyone else, or kind-hearted yet determined to solve the situation at hand. Much like Holmes, I can be considered snobbish (so I’m told laughs) or warm hearted and very much focused on the situation at hand. The intellect and determination, however, is a trait that I believe that we both have in common.
Q3 – Is this your first time in the school production? If not then what have you been in the past?
Last year I was Peter (one of the main protagonists) in The Island of Secrets (2013). In 2012 I was a bartender in The Great Australian Rock Musical.
Q4 – What is your favourite line or scene in Sheerluck Holmes? It doesn’t have to be your own!
That’s a bit tricky. If I had to pick one, it would have to be Act 1, Scene 2. In this scene my character (Sherlock) produces a lot of deductions about one of the other characters, even though it is implied that he received this information from a letter, which he tries to deny knowing about. The reason why I love this scene so much is that it takes what people know and love about Sherlock (his mysteriously amazing deductive skills) and suggests that he isn’t as brilliant as he claims to be, or even that he creates many of the crimes that occur. It’s very interesting.
INTERVIEW - Actor
William Hall (Year 12) – Dr John Watson
Interview by Mitchell de Roo
Q1 – What do you usually do in order to get into character? DO you do anything to get into character?
Before I go out on stage to perform, I stretch out my face so I can get all the different facial expressions. Apart from that, there isn’t really anything else that I do.
Q2 – Are there any similarities between yourself and your respective character? If so then what similarities do you see?
I see a lot of similarities between Watson and myself, mainly our melodramatic personalities, and yes, sometimes like Watson I can lack common sense in certain situations Laughs
Q3 – Is this your first time in the school production? If not then what have you been in the past?
No, it is not the first time I have been in the school production. I have been in them since I was in year 8, starting with High School Spoofical (2010). Since then I have been in The Secret of Snow White (2011), The Great Australian Rock Musical (2012) and The Island of Secrets (2013).
Q4 – What is your favourite line or scene in Sheerluck Holmes? It doesn’t have to be your own!
That’s a bit tricky. But If I had to pick one, it would have to be when Watson and the others come back from looking at the dead porter’s bodies. My character (Watson) comments at one point that it’s “one of the worst cases of suicide I have ever seen!” When I first saw that line, I was like “wow, that’s the stupidest thing that I’ve ever seen anyone say ever” Laughs. What’s even funnier is that my character is a Doctor, so he should have known that it clearly wasn’t suicide.
INTERVIEW - Director
Mr Szota
Interview by Mitchell de Roo
Q1 – What were the reason/s for choosing Sheerluck Holmes as this year’s school performance
The reasons why I chose to do Sheerluck Holmes as this year’s school musical was that when I first read it I felt it was funny, yet different than anything that we have done prior. Also, I felt that our schools strength was in acting rather than in singing, and due to its lack of songs, I felt this was a great advantage. Lastly, it also was chosen due to Sherlock Holmes’ recent rise in popularity. With television shows such as the one Benedict Cumberbatch is in, it was very appropriate.
Q2 –Has Sheerluck Holmes lived up to your expectations that you set for yourself, as well as the other performers?
Definitely. Even though we did have some problems at first, it eventually at last minute reached the expectations that I set for myself and the others. I am very impressed with everyone that is in the musical, whether its performers, musicians or the crew backstage, I am impressed with all of you and I believe it’s going to be a wonderful show.
Q3 – What is your favourite line or scene in Sheerluck Holmes?
Wow, that’s a really tough one. Can it be two?
Ok, my two favourites scenes is the last scene of act 2 where everyone is accusing each other of being the murderer and trying to outdo each other in the number of murders they committed. Personally, I found it to be a brilliant way to close up the story. It also contained a lot of plot holes which I also found amusing, and it overall feels like a competition.
The other scene I like is when Sherlock and Watson have to share a bed for the night. After doing their (rather awkward) exercises, Watson bends down and picks up a potty. Upon seeing it, Holmes replies with “No thank you, I went yesterday”. Personally that scene in and of itself, not just the line, is very amusing.