Arts and Culture Editor, Christian O’Brien, reviews Foot of the Hill’s Annual Intercollegiate Theatre Showcase, on the theme of ‘Myths and Legends’, featuring productions by the Bailey Theatre Company and many more.
Now that we are well into the depths of the 21st century, the age of mythology and legendary tales can often go as an afterthought as we trawl through our daily lives – myth being reserved for the occasional bestseller or Hollywood blockbuster. However, on the evening of the Foot of the Hill’s Intercollegiate Showcase, the Myths and Legends theme brought ancient gods and heroes, quite literally, centre stage.
The annual Intercollegiate Showcase on the 24th of November saw ten college theatre companies band together to create a night of fantastically diverse shows bound to bring joy to any lover of the arts. These ranged from energetic musical numbers and classic comedy to the dramatic gravitas of Shakespeare and Sophocles (with all proceeds going towards the charity Children North East).
The acting on display was fantastic across the board, highlighting the great talent Durham’s theatre scene has to offer. The ten different productions, too, whilst constricted to their short time slots and rather bare sets, still demonstrated the diligence of those who set the stage for the actors, with the vision of the directors and the help of the technical crew shining through. As such, the two-hour runtime flew by, a testament to the great work put in by everybody involved.
Some particular highlights of the night were from Grey’s Phoenix Theatre, under the directorship of Moritz Afridi, running Devised, an amazingly original work bringing out the talents of each actor whilst still highlighting its fresh comedic flair – enticing many laughs from the crowd. Similarly, the excerpts from Euripides’ Medea and Sophocles’ Antigone (staged by the Rocket Theatre Company and Collingwood Players, respectively) provided a dramatic and emotional contrast to the amusement and singing. The actors’ characterisation in these productions created a very human portrait of the mythical figures, fictional or otherwise, once staged by ancient Greeks over two millennia ago – underscoring the timeless nature of these plays. Musical numbers, spanning from Disney’s Hercules by The Snow Globe to Foot of the Hill’s excerpts from Hadestown rounding off the night, displayed not only the brilliant acting skills of those involved but their talented singing and musicality, only matched by the energetic enthusiasm permeating the atmosphere of the theatre.
Another great highlight was St John’s Bailey Theatre Company, staging a scene from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Dan Bavister, crafting a thoroughly enjoyable watch through great acting and direction, really bringing Shakespeare’s forest to life. Starting off the year on a high note, there is much to anticipate from the Theatre Company in the terms to come.
Ultimately, Foot of the Hill’s Intercollegiate Showcase was a highly enjoyable night, emphasising the broad range of talents Durham’s world of student theatre has to offer, especially coming from individual colleges themselves. For those who have not yet delved into this world, it is, without a doubt, a great experience – not to be missed!
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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