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Aranui - dramatic success in 2005

ClownOnce in a while I get to meet a group of people I know I’ll never forget. Going along to Aranui High School to talk to some of this year’s senior drama students and HOD, Rob Gilbert, was one of those very special times. What made it so special? Well, it’s not just about the incredible, and I mean INCREDIBLE, successes that they’ve consistently strived toward and achieved this year - it was more about that amazing buzz you get just from being in the company of a unique group of people like this - ones who share a real friendship, along with trust, commitment … and a whole lot of laughter.

Aranui Drama

Aranui’s Vintage Year 2005

Rob Gilbert has called this a Vintage Year for Aranui High School’s senior drama students. Here’s why:

Andrew:
I was the guy in the dress Okay, I’ll go first. Pass the Sony thing around then and I’ll start. Cough. Cough. Well, I started here at Aranui in the sixth form. I’d never really done any productions before although I did a bit of drama up at Wanganui but only because it was easy to get achieved. Then I came here and got involved in The Bacchae. I was the guy in the dress. Those were great times and it really sparked my love for acting … and I could wear this dress and nobody could say anything! But I guess it really all started with Rockquest - when I arrived here Awhi’s like, come and audition for Rockquest and I’m like, yeah that sounds like fun - wassat, then?! But probably the best week of my life was the Shakespeare workshop up at Palmerston - it was all about Shakespeare, obviously - characters, voice classes, movement - and a radio play, which was sooo much fun. We’ve never done anything like it before and you didn’t have to worry about physicalising because it was all in the voice. I got to play an old lady.
If someone had said to you four years’ ago that you were going to be doing a week’s workshop on Shakespeare what would you have said?
I would have been like, uh, who? Nah, I knew who he was but this was all about the characters and dialogue and stuff. Fantastic.
Any ideas about what you’re doing at the end of this year?
I’ve auditioned for NASDA - with a second call back last weekend so it’s just a case of waiting now. Around 40 apply but they only accept 20, so it’s a fifty fifty chance.
Awhi:
I’ve been at Aranui for 5 years and always been involved in the drama - and Rockquest. I’ve just been enjoying myself, you know?
Will you be carrying on with acting?
Yeah, I want to go to Toi Whakaari but there’s an age restriction and I can’t apply yet so I’m going to London next year.
I’ve been chosen to go to the Globe … in London
For your O.E?
Uh, sort of. From the week’s workshop in Palmerston North I’ve been chosen to go to the Globe for another workshop.
THE GLOBE THEATRE IN LONDON??
Yeah, there were 22 people chosen from 46. It’ll fill up my time next year. Two and a half weeks. Yeah, it should be good with a week at the Globe and another week at Stratford On Avon, visiting Shakespeare’s house (take a tiki … and a band … or maybe me …nah, me … or maybe all of us) and we get to do public performances as well. You know, I had no idea this was going to happen. Like I said, I’ve just been enjoying myself.
What was the audition for Shortland Street like?
That happened after the Sheilah Winn Nationals (Here, I’ll hold the microphone. I wanna be your MC …). The Star/Times mentioned I’d won the award for most promising actor and the guys from Shortland Street rang up Mr Gilbert and said they’d like to audition me so they sent down a script and we did a recording which we sent back up to them and then waited for an answer. They liked me but said I was too old for the part and there’d be something later. (But you’ll be at the Globe next year … Hey, maybe you’ll get to be on Coro Street instead …)
SoldierFi Glasgow:
I’m head girl and I’ve been at Aranui for five years. Um, I recently auditioned for NASDA and got a call back last Saturday and I’m waiting for them to ring me … or send me a letter … or however they contact us … sigh. They said about a week but some others have already heard. One of them got a no. One of them got a yes. The phone went really early yesterday and I was like uhhhhh, but nah, it wasn’t them. If I don’t get in I’m going to take a year off and then try for Toi Whakaari or else do an Arts Degree so I can come back and teach drama.
What was it like performing at Toi Whakaari?
It was great! You get nervous because you’re performing in front of all those other drama students but once you’re on there you don’t want to get off.
What sort of reception did you get?
Cool. And Miranda Harcourt talked about us! (yeah … she was ahmazin … mmm … she knew my name! …you should have seen her in…)
Break a leg they said. He broke his arm instead
A J Wyatt (Mr Tech):
I came here from Linwood College in the second term of Year 10. It’s totally different here. Mr Gilbert was really strict and drama sessions weren’t just about playing games. I’ve been doing the tech side of theatre since then but also acted in some of the productions (remember when someone said break a leg and you went on and broke your arm instead in a stage fight?) Yeah, we ended up calling an ambulance mid-performance. But lighting and sound are my interests. I want to go to Toi Whakaari as well in 2007 to do their technical course.
Lauren: (Before Lauren says anything herself, I’d just like to say that she’s only in Year 12 but is in this class because of her talent. She’s amazing.)
Uh, yes … well … I’m 16 and I’ve been at Aranui for 4 years and have been doing drama for 4 years too. That’s all there is to say about me (… and she’s very good at acting!) Sssh! What else? I played Marie. The wife - the one who gets murdered. It was fun … her personality is so different to mine and it was a real challenge. You feel kinda bad enjoying it so much but it was fun to be mean! It gives you a free rein to be or to have her personality. She’s a … excuse my language … but she’s a bitch and she sleeps around. As to what I’m going to do? I’ll just wait and see I guess but I think I’m going to come back next year.
Hayley:
You just gotta get out there and do it I’ve been here since 3rd Form but it was only last year that I got involved in Stage Challenge and the school production. That’s what really pushed me and made me decide I want to do drama, so from there I got involved with the theatre academy and I haven’t looked back. I really wish I’d done it from 3rd form now but it wasn’t me back then. I didn’t say boo! (My, how she’s changed … yeah … reckon …) I played the creepy clown servant in Bread. I’ve changed a lot since doing drama - my self confidence has gone up and I’ve come out of my shell a lot. Would that be correct (absolutely … yeah … you bet … oh, yes …you think …). You get real close to people in drama classes and you bond and stuff so it’s about team work as well as getting up and acting in front of people. Now and then I still consider myself shy but then, like in Bread, in the play, you forget about it. You just get a feel for it and you just gotta get out there and do it. I’ve had the odd word or two to say in the past in some productions or else been in the chorus but this time I had two lines - and they were the opening lines. I never thought I’d be able to do it but I did and it’s such a thrill.
Jess:
Andy’s my brother. I’ve got the same facial expressions as him. I didn’t take drama seriously until we came to Aranui. It’s so different here because they want to give everyone a chance and not just people that excel in certain areas. I’ve been involved in as much as I can with drama. In Woyzeck I had to play some scenes against my brother. Oh yeah, it was two different characters - one where I thought he was a total piece of crap and one where I was sexually attracted to him (lots of laughter here). Actually this is going to sound weird but I found it easier to act sexually attracted to him as Woyzeck (more lots of laughter here) because I didn’t think of him as Andy at all. He was so good at playing Woyzeck and it was like that’s who he was (yeah, Andy really got into Woyzeck … he kept adding to the character all the time and we’d be like whoa, where’s that coming from … ahmazin …) so it took me a while to click that I wasn’t really yelling at Andy but at his character. I’m going to study law and hopefully get a Bachelor of Arts but I’ll definitely keep going to the theatre and if a cool option came up or if I changed my mind about law then I’d definitely think about drama as a possibility.
Cherie:
I’ve been doing drama for five years here. I came out of my shell at high school. That’s it. I don’t lead an exciting life.
Ah. So, exactly how did you end up directing Woyzeck?
Mr Gilbert gave us the play and everyone just sort of nominated me. And by nominated, I really mean everyone sort of forced me and just told me that I was gonna do it! (She had to act like a real director and make a load of decisions - what would look good, gather costumes, get everyone together. It was a new challenge for her and it’s her piece) I acted in it too - I was the doctor, the one who was being mean to Woyzeck and making him eat peas for 6 months, although everyone was being mean to Woyzeck (bit of role playing here as in a 12-step meeting …and more laughter …)
Can you all sing and dance?
Sort of. You just have to go for it and don’t worry if you hit any bum notes. No-one notices anyway.
Is there much difference between NASDA and Toi Whakaari?
Yes. There’s the age restriction at Toi Whakaari and then there’s a lot more singing and dancing involved at NASDA.
If you don’t have the life experiences of the people you’re supposed to act, how do you ‘become’ them?
It comes to you over time. You just keep doing it and doing … and doing it … until something clicks. Yeah. You think in their thought processes for a while - if I was them what would I do? The director helps a lot. You have to keep asking yourself what if, over and over until you work it out.
How are you all feeling about this coming to an end?
(long pause)
Sad … A lot of us have been together for about 5 years. I mean, even being together for a year people get really close. And then that bond’s gone, you know? Especially after all the stuff we’ve been through together this year. We’re gonna miss each other and people like Mr Gilbert. Although, they probably won’t be able to get rid of us for a long time coz we’ll keep coming back! It’s like we have a relationship out of school too because you dedicate so much of your time to productions and performances and it’s gonna be weird maybe not doing it next year. We’ve been so involved for the past 5 years, even during holidays and after school … and … it’s not going to be there … it going to be like … (more silence) … You get so comfortable with each other you don’t care if they see you in your pyjamas

We’ve all been so close to everyone. You actually really do have a real friendship with the others because you get so close to them. You know a lot about each other and it’s great because you’re so comfortable with each other. You don’t even care about them seeing you in your pyjamas. Basically, whatever goes on in the drama group stays in the drama group. It doesn’t get talked about outside of here (scattered laughter … ) okay, that sounded wrong (atmosphere builds with more laughter …) hey, let’s just rewind that … (Nah, that was a good answer … yeah, that was beaut …perfect … don’t change it …just leave it as it is … )

The tape’s turned off. Lights fade … camera pans out … and laughter echoes faintly …

From A Teacher’s Perspective

Robert Gilbert / HOD Drama:

“I wanted to choose something that was challenging. People have preconceived ideas about what high school students can or should do and I hope I’ve raised the bar - they’re such talented people and I wanted to challenge them in different ways. It’s an enormously challenging piece of theatre and the way that they did it was quite physical and sexual - they took risks. Some folk might not see it as high school theatre but these folks are a week and a half out from being university students or out in the world being adults and I see no reason why we should inhibit them. I think that’s why we blew people away in Wellington with both of these pieces of theatre (Bread and Wyozeck).

To be a good actor you have to make yourself emotionally vulnerable

To be a good actor you have to make yourself emotionally vulnerable. You have to open yourself up and sometimes that’s really quite risky. These young people have done that with each other and they trust each other. It hasn’t been abused in any way. They’ve created a safe environment where they’ve been able to discover things about themselves. You can’t help but get close to people when you go through that process.

I like them as people as well as them being great drama students and I don’t say that lightly

These students aren’t just great ambassadors for their school, they’re great ambassadors for Christchurch. Not only for their talent - because I can tell you as a teacher who’s nervous about things like ‘are they going to behave’- that they’re just exemplary when they go away. They have my respect and admiration and they deserve the success that they’ve had because they’ve worked really hard. For some of the students it comes easy, for others they have to work hard at their craft but the success they’ve got is because they’ve worked hard and not because they’re naturally talented. I like them as people as well as them being great drama students and I don’t say that lightly, you know? Honestly - I don’t say it lightly.”