St Mark’s students excel in the Performing Arts
The last week at St Mark’s has seen some fine performances in the performing arts...
Last night, the ballroom was packed tightly (standing room only) as the audience were entertained by our very own talented musiciansat the first Arts Evening for the year. On the classical front, arts evening director Warwick Ambrose’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme by Corelli op 42 without music captivated the audience as did Elizabeth Napier’s performance of Gluck’s Che Faro Sneza Euridice – a good introduction to Italian Opera for the audience. Canadian student Brendon Gehringer performed played the piano, the St Mark’s Strings, whose debut performance was at the Downer House Verandah function (Emma Walsh, Charlotte Budenberg, Kathy Radoslovich and Rebecca Hahn) played Pachabel’s Canon and the St Mark’s Singers conducted by Ayesha Richardson sang “Oh Happy Day”
Highlights in contemporary music included a mixture of guitar, vocals and piano by Hannah Donaldson and John Gardner; Josh Mahadevan and Victor Liu; Sam Gurner and Rhys Bawden; Georgie Spanos and Steph Bradshaw; Maddie Osborn and Mitch Flint, the Eddie and Dave from Whyalla, Big Jack and Battle of the Band heroes FNS. It was a splendid night indeed!
St Mark's Players performed Don’s Party last week over two nights again to a full house both nights.
Don's Party is set in 1969 at a party at Don Henderson's place where a group of friends gather to watch the election results and get rolling drunk. The play is essentially an examination of society at the time and while some things change, they still remain the same. The play uses the 1969 election night and its expectation of a Labor victory as a springboard to reveal the personal politics of marriage and failure.
The St Mark’s College production, directed by Jess Conway couched the one-liners and comic set-ups without losing sight of the play's tone of bitterness, disenchantment and loss. St Mark’s Players made good use of the limited stage; eleven characters on stage at one time would have been challenging to direct. The timing and pace of rhythms were well handled by the cast and the crew worked extremely well on the set, costumes and lighting.
Mark Healy immerses himself in the role of Don and delivers the dry Aussie wit with aplomb. His wife Kath, played by Nikita Oddy served as an excellent contrast, her character unfolding as the play progressed culminating in a superbly executed tantrum at the end.
Callum Deakin as Don’s close friend, and rolling drunk developed his character appropriately throughout the play. Georgia Mott was well cast as Jody, making a lovely transition from mad-Lib housewife with feet firmly lodged in the 50s - the discussion between she and Mal regarding small breasts and small member was particularly amusing. Tim Budenberg, dressed in hounds-tooth blazer was most irritating as Jody’s husband Simon and managed to portray one of those people that you feel embarassed for simply because they have walked in the room.
Richard Arnold as the lecherous Mack was again well cast and performed in his own style with great skill. Craig Gartley was one in a million as the obnoxious Cooley, (trying his luck on the Master in the promo at formal hall). He too, looked the part and was a repulsively sleazy character.
Lizzie Arnold as Jenny was a hoot and a one-woman microcosm of the Australian dry sense of humour. Bec Schultz was suitably pretentious as Kerry, preening and posturing herself most appropriately as her clingy dentist husband, Evan, played by Adam Pulford who certainly came into his own during the play as well. Alyssa Kelly in the part of Susan was hilarious, and although she didn't have an enormous number of lines, she had some of the best in the script which she delivered with impeccable comic timing.
Forty years on and many aspects of Don’s Party have stood the test of time (well maybe not the clothing and hair) – moreover, the humour appeals to a range of tastes depending on where you sit on the political or social spectrum. Alcohol plays a significant role in the forward momentum of plots and inevitable disaster, one which undergraduates can relate. In addition to the comical aspects of this play, it offers food for thought – has Australia changed over the last four decades?
And if you’re wondering, the Liberals win!
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