Ollie to Annie - a crew member's reflection on Oliver!

Hello!!! My name is Siddique, and today I spoke to someone who worked on our school play 'Oliver!'. So that’s enough yapping – let's get into this!

Question 1: How did you first get involved with the school production?

They answered that they just like it, and maybe wanted to pursue a career in drama but weren’t quite sure. If you’re not sure, it’s always good to try - you never know what you may want to do in the future and it’s always good to be prepared!

Question 2: What did you do in the production?

They said that they were part of the backstage crew with a few others helping with props. Now, this job is extremely underrated; if you filmed a film in a white room with no props it would be horrible! If you were trying to make it a hot summers day at the waterpark, sometimes the props can be more important than the actors - it would just be a comedy! Then again it could go the same way round without a backstage but with great actors; you could say it’s a mime, but that’s not the point.

Question 3: Why did you start doing the production?

They said they weren’t sure if they wanted to pursue a career in acting, or whether backstage was the way to go. Besides the long hours, it was great fun! It was also great to try new things and pick up new skills. You might want to pursue a career in this area one day!

Question 4: How long did the rehearsals go on for?

After the auditions took place, the cast rehearsed for fifty days after school. Rehearsals lasted for three hours each day, and the backstage crew were needed to keep the stage in order!