St Alban’s College’s students perform comedy production by British-Irish playwright
"What a triumphant performance it was. Our actors truly did themselves and the college proud."
St Alban’s College drama department presented British-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen in the school hall last week.
Grade 10 to 12 drama students, who do drama an as academic subject at the school, formed part of the well-known play.
“What a triumphant performance it was. Our actors truly did themselves and the college proud,” said head of the drama department at St Alban’s College Jaco van Wyk.
Hangmen takes place in 1965 in the United Kingdom.
It centres around an executioner named Harry Wade, played by student Travis Page.
Harry is the second-best hangman in the land, and he owns a pub with his wife, Alice (Rea Manana), and his 15-year-old daughter, Shirley (Sandra Haimbala and Tshiamo Khambule).
Harry is forced to deal with the abolition of hangings, and the pub is filled with people who have various motives concerning Harry’s profession. A stranger named Mooney (Christopher Aydon and Michael Rider) comes to the pub and causes trouble, flirting with Harry’s daughter to get under his skin.
Mooney toys with Harry and makes Harry and Alice believe he has kidnapped and killed their daughter Shirley.
This pushes Harry to hang Mooney illegally, which was Mooney’s goal all along. The play ends with Harry dealing with the justification of the hanging he performed in the very beginning of the play.
Van Wyk is the director, and students Ross van Noordwyk (assistant director), Bianka Thom (director’s assistant and head of backstage crew) and Buhle Funani (stage manager).
“Rehearsals started at the end of January. The last three weeks prior to the production’s opening, we rehearsed every night of the week, including weekends.
“A massive thanks to Mark Stonehouse, Joe Giannoe, Yelia Hall and the drama students from Crawford College, boys’ and girls’ parents and the cast and crew who have worked so hard on this production,” said Van Wyk.
Hangmen originally opened at the Jerwood Downstairs, Royal Court theatre in London on September 18, 2015 presented by the English stage company and director, Matthew Dunster.
The production then transferred to the West End’s Wyndham’s theatre in London a few months later and presented in conjunction with Playful Productions Ltd and Robert Fox.
“We are looking forward to our grade 12 production, directed by Letlotlo Sefako, a grade 12 drama student, as part of his IEB end-of-year final practical examination which opens at the end of May and runs for two nights. In term three, drama showcases featuring from three to five drama students’ year work,” he said.
Cast:
– Zack Richardson and Aidan van der Westhuizen (Hennessy)
– José Paterson (Clegg)
– Travis Page (Harry)
– Christopher Aydon and Michael Rider (Mooney)
– Miguel Paul and Matthew Peirce (Syd)
– Ross van Noordwyk and Dominic Waddell (Bill)
– Julius Rubin (Pierrepoint)
– Sibusiso Kabinde and Tshepang Sebogodi (Inspector Fry)
– Sandra Haimbala and Tshimao Khambule (Shirley)
– Makgotla Mosiapoa (Charlie)
– Rea Manana (Alice)
– Khomotjo Vilankulu (Arthur)
– Josh Kirkcaldy and Makgotla Mosiapoa (guards).
ALSO READ: Smile Foundation and George Mukhari bring smiles back to families
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
