In the world of musical theatre, it is the songs that transport the audience, and that are then carried home in the memory and on the tongue. The songs lift the plot and express the mood far better than the unembellished spoken line, and we know our favourites by heart even years later. Consequently, following on from last year's sensational production of Les Miserables, St. Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School paid further homage to iconic numbers in Showstoppers.
From Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th October, the Phantom of the Opera stalked the stage, Disney's French market bustled with life, superstition was tragically realised for a set of twins, and cowboy fringing was in vogue. An exceptionally talented Y11 cast - supported by a wealth of upcoming younger stars - brought a sparkling compilation of theatre favourites to life. Oklahoma, Blood Brothers, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story and South Pacific were all represented.
St. Edmund Arrowsmith is a school with strong ambition and infectious passion, and the annual school production is always a testament to these qualities. Devising the show is nearly a year-long process, and pupils and staff devote many after-school hours to rehearsals ensuring that every note is pitch-perfect, every character believably nuanced, and every set is flawlessly dressed.
For the Y11 leads, this was their final chance to shine under the spotlights - at St. Edmund Arrowsmith at least - and therefore the primary motivation for choosing to perform a 'variety show' rather than a traditional musical. No other production would offer the opportunity for so many individual voices to be heard and appreciated. Undoubtedly though, it will not be the last time that the tones of Maddie Hudson, Lydia Denton, Caitlin Roddy, Josh Kime, Tom Loughlin, Stephen Bache, Jonathan Concah and James Desmond will be echoing around and filling a large space.
So who will step from understudy to principal role now that the curtain has come down on the Y11s' last showstopping performances? Mrs J. Melling of St. Edmund Arrowsmith's Drama department has boundless faith in the current Y9 performers. Showstoppers gave them the chance to appear in some minor roles and gain some experience of solos before stepping out of the shade cast by the Y11s. Mrs Melling noted that the younger pupils "have shown a real growth in confidence," not least because the compilation format of this year's production set unfamiliar obstacles. With no progressing storyline, it was difficult in rehearsals to feel a rhythm and for the actors to switch quickly and embody their characters convincingly. Consequently, the pupils showed great range and the skill to orientate themselves throughout the stop-start sequence of the production.
But of course, stars are not only those with microphones. The stage was filled with talent from the Performing Arts Dance students and the Y8 choir. And no one would have been seen or heard without the patience and skill of the student technicians hiding away backstage or in the sound box at the back of the Hall. Showstoppers was always an ensemble piece.
But what's in store for next year? Too early to ask? Nothing is certain, but Mrs Melling hints that there will be a return to the traditional musical narrative with a large chorus to add to the grandeur. For now though, it is enough to bask in the success of Showstoppers and applaud loudly in appreciation of all of the amazing talent on show.
