Drama
On Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 June, the GMCPA stage was transformed for three performances into a whimsical and vibrant world as Year 10 to Year 12 Drama students brought Matthew Whittet’s captivating play, Girl Asleep, to life. Originally performed at the 2014 Adelaide Festival, this production is a fast-moving and imaginative take on the rites-of-passage narrative, employing a rich blend of narration, horse puppetry, disco dancing, and special effects.
Rehearsals for this ambitious production began with an intensive bootcamp during the April holidays. This week-long session was a whirlwind of creativity, where students fully immersed themselves in their roles, embodying the quirky, crazy, and whacky characters of Whittet’s world. It was during this bootcamp that the retro-styled vision of Australian suburbia began to take shape. Mahika Swamy (Year 10) skilfully and tenderly portrayed the central character, Greta Driscoll. With Darcey Hawkins (Year 11) capturing the delicate balance between embarrassing and adorable as Greta’s best friend, Elliott.
Aashna Rana (Year 12), Demitria Volos (Year 12), and Genevieve Hartin (Year 11) delivered standout performances as Greta’s family. Their portrayals were both heartfelt and humorous, providing a relatable backdrop to Greta’s journey and grounding the fantastical elements of the play in a recognisably real and tender family dynamic.
As rehearsals progressed, the surreal world of Greta’s subconscious began to emerge. The students embraced the challenges of bringing this complex world to life, with captivating performances by Claire McPherson (Year 11), Madeline Taylor (Year 11), Madeleine Watson (Year 11), India Wells-Lister (Year 10), Indianna Joyce (Year 11), Murphy Scott (Year 12), and Elizabeth Tang (Year 11) as the haunting ‘nightmare’ characters. This eerie realm was further enhanced by the spellbinding violin of Jasmine Tran (Year 10) and evocative piano accompaniment of Scarlett Wu (Year 10).
Meanwhile the dynamic school duos and disco dancing scenes were a dazzling display of energy and retro flair, evoking the playful spirit of the 1970s. Our stella ensemble cast included Verity Haslam (Year 10), Jemima Groves-Berry (Year 10), Chloe Brown (Year 10), Sophie Lin (Year 10) and Sara Joung-Nguyen (Year 10). Special mention also goes to Aaisha Suresh (Year 5) who seamlessly navigated both the eerie realm of Greta’s subconscious and the emotional warmth of young Greta.
It was an absolute thrill to work with such a talented and dedicated group of students, both in the cast and the incredible backstage crew. Special recognition is owed to Sarah Macpherson (Year 12), Anaïs Vander (Year 10), Livia Armstrong (Year 10), Phoebe Paleologos (Year 11), Finley Saghaie (Year 12), and Nina Uehara (Year 10) for their work behind-the-scenes as our stage magic, trapdoors, and special effects crew. Their hard work and passion were integral to the success of the production.
Congratulations to all the cast and crew for their hard work and dedication. We eagerly anticipate your next production!
Melinda Pedavoli
Head of Drama and Theatre Production