Staging a Mad Hatter's Tea Party

[This article appeared in last week's edition of the Oxford Times – we're reproducing it here for those who missed it]

How do you stage a Mad Hatter's Tea Party? And who's got the best Cheshire Cat grin? Two students at d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form – Daisy Grieve (above, right) and Emma Gonnella (left) – are wrestling with questions such as these, as they direct the Sixth Form performance of Alice in Wonderland, adapted by Adrian Mitchell.

A performance entirely conceived, acted and organised by students, Alice will be a true team effort: even the set and costume design is student-led, courtesy of Art A level students. And Gidon Fineman – one of the Sixth Form Performing Arts Scholars, who has already proven his compositional mettle by writing music for two professional theatre shows last year – is taking on the role of Musical Director.

We caught up with Daisy and Emma to find out about their plans for the production – and how it's going so far.

Us: So – what made you choose Alice?

Daisy: We thought it was a play that offered lots of opportunities. We wanted something that would involve lots of people – we've recruited a cast of 30.
Emma: And we loved the surreality of Alice ... there's so much scope for creative interpretation. In our case, a dark, slightly 'twisted' interpretation!

Us: And what are the challenges?

Daisy: We've had to take authority – we're not teachers, we're their friends.
Emma: What's really helped is the way Kate [Parsons, head of Drama] has taught us ... Before, we'd never have had the confidence to take this on.
Daisy: Also, we're taking responsibility for the whole production – so there's a lot of organisation work: we have to think about everything from copyright to scheduling to finances.


Us: You're only a few weeks in – but have there been any highlights so far?

Emma: Well, we've only had two rehearsals ... For the first, an all-cast rehearsal, it was a sunny evening, so we were outside.
Daisy: ... And we ended up with about 10 or 20 teachers all standing there watching us!
Emma: The onstage Chemistry between Matt Thorns (our Hatter) and Chris Higham (the Hare) is amazing.
Daisy: Yes, you just have to look at them together and you start laughing. They don't even have to say anything.




Us: In general what do you think makes a good performance?

Emma: Energy.
Daisy: ... and a committed cast.
Emma: Compatibility.
Daisy: ... an energetic, committed, compatible cast?
Emma: (And awesome special effects.)


Us: What about creative differences? Is it difficult to agree on an interpretation?

Daisy: Not really, actually. We generally have the same kind of ideas ... we feed off each other. I guess we're both influenced to some extent by some of the techniques we've used in class – workshops we've done and so on ... But still, most of the ideas are ours.



Us: And, finally, what are your ambitions for the future?

Emma: I really want to act, so I'm applying to drama schools: places like RADA and the Bristol Vic
Daisy: Well, I want to study Spanish & Film Studies at university – but after that I'd like to work in film direction and production.



As well as directing Alice, both Emma and Daisy are looking forward to being involved in the production of The Tempest – which will take place a month or two later, and involve not only Sixth Form students, but also those from Leckford Place, the 11-16 section of d'Overbroeck's College.


Alice in Wonderland will be staged in early February. If you would like to be notified when tickets are available, please email the Sixth Form Office.