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Operation Raleigh
Mike Rossell is taking part in an Operation Raleigh trip to Mongolia during 2001 (April to July) where he will be helping build medical clinics for local communities, as well as doing some environmental research. He would like to thank all those members who donated money towards this sponsorship over the ‘Remorseful Weekend’ - more than £70 - which will be put to good use. Mike says that he will try to send everybody a postcard from Mongolia, but doubts if he will be able to (a) find a shop selling such items and (b) find a post office, so please accept his thanks here for making his adventure possible. | |||||||||||||
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Colin Dexter’s Schooldays - We were recently delighted to receive the following review from Mr. David Robinson. It is a page from the Corby Grammar School magazine of 1965, carrying the first school play review written by none other than Colin Dexter (for the Caucasian Chalk Circle). Mr. Robinson concedes that Dexter was still ‘finding his feet’, as a teacher at least! A Criticism So far, one major dramatic production per year has been staged, clearly the idea is now abroad that there is room in the dramatic life of the school for both the traditional and the modern, and Mr. Frazer, the prime mover of this venture, chose Bertholt Brecht’s C.C.C. as the play for the Easter Term. Whilst Brecht is usually said to divide critical opinion pretty sharply, three full houses appeared unanimous in their acclaim of its success. We had secretly wondered whether there was sufficient talent and resource to cope with a second play, especially since pressure of work and the spectre of ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels must inevitably deter several of our budding Oliviers and Ashcrofts. We need not have worried. This is not an easy play. The ballad/epic-type drama can easily become tedious, and, specifically in this play, the story-line is inherently difficult to sustain. Our producer’s answers were modern dress, an arena stage and a whirlwind pace. Were these answers satisfactory! In the judgement of this crictic - yes. Mr. Frazer was in very real danger of losing Brecht’s authenticity, intimacy and lyricism by the compromises, wittingly or unwittingly, forced upon him. But the baby remained, delightfully unconcerned after the bathwater has been thrown away: (the play itself came over to us as a moving and unified whole.) As for the production, two things stand out particularly in our minds: the degree of involvement on the part of the audience, and the quality of commitment on the part of the actors. The pupils especially, often those in minor roles, seemed to be bigger and more interesting personalities than they sometimes appear in the formal atmosphere of the classrooms, and Brecht himself would have applauded their uninhibited expressionsm. Meinir Owen, as Grusha captured the sincerity and integrity of the main character; Jane Walters was regally vindictive as Natella, Peter Limm’s, Simon, was strong yet sensitive; Dickson Marchant and Sally Edwards were all fine examples of creative attitudes towards their parts - a willingness to introduce touches of characterization which sprang from their own appraisal of their roles. The inclusion of several members of staff served to make the whole production a co-operative effort, and mention must be made of Mr. Diggle for his forceful interpretation of the lengthy and demanding role of Azdak, and of Mr. Philo, who sat, like some stoic stylite, intermittently intoning his mellifluous continuum over each evening’s proceedings. In short, this was a play which gave a great deal of aesthetic and animal satisfaction to both players and audiences. We hope that the tradition of drama in the School will be further enhanced and stimulated by other imaginative productions of modern plays. C. Dexter | ||
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