Chronicle 687

42 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

from her irregular gait to her sly body posture, was so sinister that it sent chills down my spine. Of course, Our House would be nowhere near as fun without the comedy. We were blessed by hilarious performances from Justice Kwapong and Oscar Evans Pollard as Emmo and Lewis, whose frequent quips left us in stitches. Charlie Hutton also deserves particular commendation for his acting. He played Mr Pressman, a businessman of flexible morals. With his chin held high, flaring chest and posh accent, he perfectly conveyed Mr Pressman’s sense of superiority. Charlie’s sheer enthusiasm made his one It’s difficult to do this play justice in so few words: what a spectacle it was! The cast, crew, and staff all came together to bring this amazing production to life. With the bar set extraordinarily high, I am excited to see what the Teddies Drama Department has in store for future productions. of the most funny and powerful performances of the evening.

27 costume changes - I envy his stamina! Rowan Campbell played Joe’s girlfriend, Sarah. Her dedication to drama was evident in her acting: her skilful body language and methodical pauses powerfully conveyed Sarah’s anguish. Rowan’s performance was incredible, but it was her singing that left the audience in awe. In the number ‘It must be love’ the sustained, operatic high notes left us stunned. The rest of the cast was also chock-full of talent. Emilia Stringer was the perfect fit for the role of Joe’s mother; every gesture and expression in Emilia’s performance reflected the maternal, caring nature of her character. Honor Weir and Leyna Traboulsi did an excellent job playing Sarah’s vacuous friends, Billie and Angie, who were critical of everyone. Their sassy, judgmental behaviour left us reflecting on our own actions. Hope van Steenbergen went above and beyond playing Reecey, a character who symbolised the devil within the play. I know Hope as a kind, mild-mannered pupil, but in the play, she morphed into a completely different person. Each element of her performance,

much more fun. To add to the wonderful acting and music, there was exceptional dancing. Our Head of Dance, Lisa Elkins, did a phenomenal job choreographing each number. What made the scenes so impressive was their complexity: a large group of actors knitted together to form one dazzling, fantastic show. The play’s complex storyline shone through. Joe’s dad, elegantly played by Alex Mather, introduces us to the star of the show, Joe Casey. Teenager Joe Casey takes his girlfriend, Sarah, on a date. He breaks into a high-rise apartment to impress her with a beautiful view. Suddenly police arrive and Joe has a dilemma: should he run away from the police or hand himself in? The story splits and we follow two characters: Good Joe, who turned himself in, and Bad Joe, who ran from the police. Teddies could not have had better actors for the lead duo. Blake Maddox was Joe Casey and his brilliant manipulation of vocal tones paired with his authentic facial expressions brought the show to life. Blake flawlessly managed a shocking

Above: Blake Maddox. Top right: Blake Maddox with Rowan Campbell. Bottom right: Corban Goodsell