Set in the depths of Sherwood Forest, the 2024 Senior Drama Ensemble whisked the audience away on a journey filled with mystery, comedy and adventure as they endeavour to find out who the REAL Robin Hood is…
The nuanced performance of Robin Hood was written and directed by the talented Mrs Ashleigh Chakarovski, who is also the Head of Drama at the School. In collaboration with the students, the young thespians devised a full-length performance from a non-theatrical text – which is no easy task.
However, if you were lucky enough to catch them from Thursday to Saturday last week, you would have seen why and how our Senior Drama Ensemble blew their audience away, eliciting rave reviews from all around.
Stan Wills (Year 12) played the lead role as Robin Hood and he certainly ‘broke a leg’ as he fought tooth and nail in the heated battle scenes, dramatically falling to the floor more than 50 times per show.
Jamie Spittle (Year 11) played Maid Marion – embodying a young woman who courageously joins the merry men and fights alongside Robin Hood.
We interviewed Stan and Jamie to hear more about their experience and any advice they can offer to young actors:
Stan – Robin Hood
What was your role in Robin Hood?
I was lucky enough to play the lead, Robin Hood, for the show.
What was the best part of participating in this production?
The most enjoyable part of the production was creating the world of the play ourselves. Instead of rehearsing word for word from a script, we were given the creative license as young performers to create scenes, fights, transitions and the life of our characters through devising with our director. Even though the show was a fun and physical farce, getting the opportunity to build a piece was so incredibly rewarding as theatre makers.
Do you have any advice for anyone who might be interested in drama at the School? What’s the best way to get started?
St Andrews is a school that champions and encourages the performing arts. The curriculum of drama is an incredibly strong place to start if you are new to Middle School (Years 7-9) and are interested in performing in a learning environment. Additionally, I cannot recommend getting involved in productions enough. Participating in an audition or even consulting with the drama department about backstage opportunities is the place to start. Whether this be acting, directing, working as crew or tech; being a part of School productions builds your skills in all areas of performing arts and helps you create long-lasting friendships and connections within the community that are irreplaceable.
Jamie – Maid Marion
What was your role in Robin Hood?
My role was Maid Marion, who is a woman who ends up joining the Merry Men and fighting alongside Robin Hood.
What was the best part of participating in this production?
The best part of participating in this production was the friendships that were made. Theatre is always a great opportunity to end up in fun situations with your friends, and get close with people you might not have known previously. It also blurred the divide between year groups, and because we had a tight cast, everyone was very close. We all had lots of fun warming up and dancing together around every show!
Do you have any advice for anyone who might be interested in drama at the School? What’s the best way to get started?
If someone was interested in starting drama our School, I would tell them to just go for it. It is sometimes a little daunting to start drama if you haven’t done it in the past, or if you don’t know anyone there. It’s also very public, so it can sometimes turn away those who are more shy. But just going for the auditions and getting involved is a really good way to meet people and learn more about yourself. If you don’t like acting, there are also many opportunities to be part of the crew or do lighting and special effects. I would also say to not worry about looking a little crazy! Everyone is super welcoming, and laughs are always shared.
To view the full gallery of images from the 2024 Senior Drama Ensemble Performance of Robin Hood scroll down:
