Two weeks ago, the senior drama students traded the classroom for a trip down to Dunedin’s historic Globe Theatre to watch Romeo and Juliet.
For many of us, this was an amazing opportunity to experience a live Shakespearean performance for the very first time. The absolute highlight of the evening was watching ex-Dunstan student Caitlin Gordon take the stage in the leading role of Juliet; as an incredibly talented actress, Cait is a huge inspiration to many of the drama students. The experience was made even more special by the venue's unique layout. Originally a residential house, the theatre uses a clever two-level stage design to influence the setting of Juliet’s bedroom, adding brilliant vertical depth to showcase the story’s emotional highs and lows. I am incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity, and I would highly recommend heading to the Globe Theatre to see a performance in the future.
Makayla Gare
Year 12 Drama student
On the 28th of May the Year 11, 12 and 13 Drama students went on a trip to Dunedin to watch the Globe Theatre perform Romeo and Juliet. For the 12s and 13s, this was a nice break from schoolwork, but for the Year 11s this made up one of their two external exams. We travelled up early Thursday morning by bus, and returned home Friday afternoon, staying overnight in a motel.
When we first arrived in Dunedin, we stopped for lunch, before heading to the University of Otago to watch some of the drama students put on an interactive experience. We headed through the spooky story, interacting with the characters as we wound through the carefully placed stage curtains. After a very interesting Q & A with the students, we headed to the motel for a bit of downtime and grabbing dinner.
After a short rest, we got on the bus and headed to the theatre. The actors put on an incredible performance, with former Dunstan High student Caitlin Gordon taking the role of Juliet. After nearly three hours of the play, they ended with thunderous applause. We headed back to the motel to rest after our long day. In the morning we headed back to the theatre for another Q & A, this time with the Director of the show, Brent Caldwell, as well as Caitlin and Daniel Mason, who played Friar Lawrence. After telling us all about how they made the show, along with the actors personal experiences auditioning and rehearsing, and even telling us a few stagecraft secrets, we got back on the bus for one final lunch stop, before heading back to Alexandra. All in all it was an incredible experience for everyone who attended.
Lochy Hawkins
Year 11 Drama student
