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Apples
'Apples' and 'Those Learned Ladies'
9th December 2008
The Upstage Theatre Company took to the stage once again in the last week of November to present this year's College production, Apples and Those Learned ladies.
After the success of last year's all-singing, all-dancing musical Jesus Christ Superstar, Upstage presented two comedies of very different styles. Apples, a piece involving acting, singing and dance, told the story of a group of school leavers and their journey to find a mythical apple tree. The large cast of 25 took on various obstacles and major and minor league celebrities as they looked for that elusive course or job, finally breaking out of a sinister-looking factory that forced them to turn handles and eat chips. Whole cast dance sequences, sudden changes in lighting and music and the odd song helped them (and a hysterical audience) on their way.
The second half, where a cast of ten performed Molière's comedy Those Learned Ladies was a very different theatrical experience from the deliberately experimental and physical first half. In 1672 style costume of enormous wigs, huge skirts and exaggerated acting, the cast brought tears of laughter from the audience as they played Molière's frenetic farce for all it was worth. Once again, Upstage showed what a wealth of acting, designing and technical talent abounds at Hereford Sixth Form College and all credit must go to those involved in the productions, both on the stage and those, oft-forgotten, working backstage. Upstage will return in the new year with the New Writing week, where students will get the opportunity to write and direct their own short plays during the course of one week.
Mat Walters, Head of Drama & Theatre Studies
Mat Walters, Head of Drama & Theatre Studies