Independent School   |16 August 2022

The whole cast with directors

Students’ flair for drama impresses audience

The A level Drama Club of Independent School recently performed The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens, to a full house.

The AS and A2 students, who have been practising for the past few months, entertained the audiences over two nights with this murder-mystery comedy.

Fabian Nolin stole the show as the powerful, creepy, yet incredibly funny, Edward Worthington the Third. Celebrating his 50th birthday, the awful man gets what’s coming to him when he is murdered by one of the party guests. The detective, played masterfully by Eva Rassool, then interviews the suspects to determine the killer. Was it the present wife, brought to life by Lara Bastienne, or his ex-wife, played with sophistication by Angelika Rose, or his lover, Peggy-Sue, played to a Southern-tee by Karine Berlouis?

Also in attendance at the party were his uni-student daughter, acted perfectly by Emily Mancienne; his absent-minded sister, whom Chloe Pillay played brilliantly; play-boy brother-in-law Tony, a character so well-developed by Kavish Gunatilake; his ball-busting lawyer, portrayed by Christie Rath; and lastly, Edward’s business manager and clueless wife, played faultlessly by Joshua Didon and Elisha Malow.

The cast was rounded out by ‘the help’: the butler, house-keeper, the maids, and one tempestuous cook. Gilbert Hoareau, Turissa Sullivan, Ashley Idrice, Gaelle Confait, and Chleo Parekh donned their servant attire to do their duty to their master… but did one of them kill him?

The play was performed in the new multi-purpose room at Independent School. The audience were mere feet away from the action, and so were part of the events that unfolded on stage. To ensure that everything went smoothly, the stage manager, Aurelie Morin, kept the actors in line.

What would a party be without music? Students from the Secondary Singing Club entertained the audience before the play and during the interval. Victoria Lawrence, Gaelle Rose, Sophia Pragassen, Chloe Abrams, Tyra Telemaque, Laika William, Thinaya Senlinee Dayawansha, and Caeden Bradburn all kept the audience entranced with their singing at each show.

The school’s principal, Andy Esparon, who attended the play on the first night, said the students were “very talented” and “acted brilliantly”. He was impressed with their level of professionalism, saying, “to be able to put on a play of such high standard in such a short period is testament to their artistic ability and commitment”. He also expressed his appreciation to the teachers and staff at the school who worked with the students to develop their artistic skills and help put the show together.

The Drama Club would also like to thank all those who helped make the play a success: staff, students and parents. A big thank you goes to the Entrepreneurship club, the sponsors of the star prizes, Keith Abel, the PTA, and Gracious Glamour for doing the make-up.

The accompanying photos show some highlights of the play.

Text & photos contributed