After a period of almost 24 months of darkness for our Artz Seniors, away from the stage and the spotlight, the determined Birch Green cohort finally took to the stage last weekend to deliver a lot more than just a show.
Once on this Island, the planned Summer production for our Seniors, was first set to be performed in July 2020; and since it’s casting in March 2020, it has been quite the rollercoaster for this group of young people. The show had been re-scheduled no less than 4 times and the Artz Centres have been closed on full lockdown twice; students once involved in the show took a step back along the way, parts where recast, and at times, motivation was understandably, at an all time low. At the Artz Academy we usually rustle through these production projects in around 12 weeks, never mind 18 months.
Yet, with all this adversity set to cancel this show completely, co-directors Mark and Joe, alongside their talented cast of 24 students, really did pull out all of the stops to produce a breathtakingly memorable piece that was well, well worth the wait.
A last minute venue cancellation saw the production take place at the Birch Green Artz Centre itself; which, what was once yet another stumbling block, stood to become almost the perfect venue, given the traverse nature of the piece. And the staging style was not the only bold directing choice made; the hour long show was delivered in 1 intense act, with all ensemble cast remaining on stage throughout, creating a true feast for the imagination.
What perhaps was most poignant about the whole experience was its storytelling nature. The entire narrative of Once on this Island is delivered by an ensemble of storytellers, who multirole a variety of characters, and ‘tell their story’ to a small island girl. It’s a story about how love will ultimately conquer all, and it draws upon ancient Haitian culture, and Haiti’s rich and colourful history. This Artz Seniors production was storytelling at its most powerful, and the entire cast delivered their performances with true integrity and respect to the original culture of the story.
After almost two years of lockdown, where it was safe to say we all perhaps learnt to appreciate our own traditions, our stories and our heritage a little more; this production was pitched beautifully. From the God’s: Papa Ge, Erzulie, Asaka and Agwe, to peasant girl Ti Moune, her family, her islanders and her love, Daniel; the depth of these characters portrayed by this young cast, provided something recognisable that every audience member could relate to, reflect upon, and empathise with.
A production that was littered with stand-out vocal performances, choreography and storytelling; and supported by an exceptional tech team that provided the looks, the sounds, and the perfect atmosphere for our performers to thrive… I think all involved have agreed that this show demonstrated one thing for our staff, students and audiences: it’s good to be back.
With a further 6 shows to produce between now and Christmas, it’s like we’ve never been away!