The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe- Week Twelve: 'Dress Rehearsal.'

DRESS REHEARSAL WEEK!

That’s right; here we are again. It may have been a long term, but the dress rehearsal always feels like it comes around so quickly. It seems like only a couple of weeks ago we started out on the journey into Narnia with our Chameleons and now it’s almost showtime. This week we had one focus- perform the show!

The nice thing about the dress rehearsal, for any show in fact, is that it is the first time all of the work everyone has put in comes together in one place, along with the costumes, props and sound (well usually- we couldn’t get the sound working this week so had to pretend). We have spent thirteen weeks now working on this show and to watch all of the pieces we have amassed come together was particularly exciting.

The dress rehearsal is, as always, couple with the fear that perhaps everyone will simply forget everything we have done. It has happened before and is likely to happen again, for it is a common problem with dress rehearsals. Suddenly the pressure is on and panic sets in, so all memory goes out the window. However, our Chameleons performed outstandingly. As I have written many times this term- the story is long and so there is a lot to remember; and they remembered it all. There are so many lines, scenes, physical sequences, fight scenes and cues within this play, but that didn’t stop our Chameleons.

I think it can be said that this shows how passionate the group is to telling this story. Watching the show for the first time from start to finish yesterday it was clear how much everyone loved it- each member of the cast told the story of Narnia with fantastic energy; the scenes were tense and funny and so entertaining. It was a pleasure to watch, and while there are still plenty of nerves about performing at the Cygnet in front of parents, family and other audience, we are excited to see it with the lights on (and music too).

This project has been such a huge one and has just been so much fun. Excitement aside, we will be sad to see it end next week. While our Chameleon group will return next year with more exciting stories to tell; the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a show we have wanted to put on with the group for a long time and it is sure to be strange seeing it happen. A massive well done to our cast and also to our team; to Emma, Miles and Emma for always being there to support the group. There will be a much shorter post next week to round off the term but this more or less it for me for a while. Onwards now to the performance: FOR NARNIA!