95 94 The Chronicle 2021 Centenary Edition This year the Inter-house Play Competition embraced the ethos of our beloved Kearsney by embodying the theme ‘Carpe Diem - Seize the Day’ to celebrate our Centenary year. Our students were determined to ensure that their first return to the stage since Interhouse Plays 2020 was a worthy one. They put their hearts and souls into each of their masterpieces, considering that this might be their only opportunity to shine on stage given the precariousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with a budget, the teams of boys were solely responsible for the scriptwriting, casting, rehearsing, costuming and design of their plays. Each House brainstormed exciting and innovative interpretations of the theme. They created four thought-provoking, varied and moving pieces of theatre. Gillingham’s ‘Tall or Short’, written and directed by Leo Reim and Benjamin Burton, was a most deserving winner of Best House Play for 2021. They produced a slick, professional production that was stylistically perfect and a truly well-rounded piece of theatre. This winner was set in the 1950s in America and detailed the quandary that the wealthy and reputed Roger Ferguson faces when his son is kidnapped. Part detective story, part family drama, this play kept audiences guessing until the final scene and resolved itself in a manner that was both intriguing and satisfying. Sheffield followed with a close second place, with notable performances by the cast. ‘Do We Have a Deal?’ written by Nicholas Kidd and Javhar Naidoo, directed by Ongama Duze and Nicholas Kidd, was a visually beautiful piece of theatre investigating the ever-present dilemma of right versus wrong. The post-modern style of this engaging play allowed for evocative music and choreography. The play interrogated the complicated nature of human morality and the choices we make to survive. Third place winners Finningley performed ‘A Day In The Jungle’, a hard-hitting reflection on the tensions that ran in our neighbouring country of Angola during Apartheid. Written by award winner for Best Original Script Bulelani Nodada and directed by John Brown, Prince Dube and Bulelani Nodada, this highly charged piece of theatre detailed a moment in time when anti-Apartheid freedom fighters and the South African Defence Force came to blows in Tato’s dinery. With the ongoing threat of the lurking Cuban military about to storm the diner, the audience felt the turmoil of the characters as they sought to find the truth, fight for their survival and uphold their political ideals. Pembroke followed with the emotional journey of the troubled Leo in their dramatic offering, ‘Mindgames’. The appropriate metaphor of a game of chess was woven through this engaging play. The multi-talented Luke Bartlett wrote, directed and walked away with the coveted Best Actor award. He worked tirelessly with assistant directors Aryan Sewsunker and Ryan Wimbush to bring his idea to fruition with interesting staging and the clever use of an allegorical character, Conscience. This profound drama explored the impact of childhood trauma on an adult trying to navigate his way on this chess board called life. Our adjudicators for the evening, renowned dramatists Lisl Coppin and Mpilo Nzimande, were incredibly impressed by the high standard of the plays, the maturity and depth of the writing and the star quality performances by the actors. Ms Coppin commented: ‘I am still completely mind-blown by last night’s performances! I can’t stop thinking about all the plays and I am in awe of their talent! I wish we didn’t have to choose a “last” place. They were all excellent and I am really and truly blown away by their efforts and hard work.’ Congratulations to all the students who were involved. Ms Ulaetha Singh and Mrs Emily Stockil-Smith Inter-house Plays Pembroke’s Luke Bartlett won the Best Actor award. Luke (Gr 10) wrote and directed the play. Finningley’s Bulelani Nodada wrote the play ‘A Day in the Jungle’ which won Best Original Script Gillingham’s Leo Reim in the Best House Play, ‘Tall or Short’. He and Benjamin Burton wrote and directed the play. Sheffield’s play ‘Do We Have a Deal?’ finished in a close second place. The play was written by Nicholas Kidd and Javhar Naidoo, directed by Ongama Duze and Nicholas Kidd. Our adjudicators were incredibly impressed by the high standard of the plays... ‘
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