Back to The 80s
By Neil Gooding, with additional material by Stuart Smith.
In arrangement with Josef Weinburger Ltd
See the Photo Gallery for Back to the 80s
Set in the USA, 'Back to the 80s' told the story of the various characters of the Senior Class of William Ocean High School that graduated in the 1980s. For example, Corey (17) was in love with Tiffany, one of the coolest girls in the school, but she only had eyes for Michael, the hottest guy...There were various friends, new girls/ cheerleaders, nerds etc and even a couple of the teachers were having issues of their own...!
The Senior School Production which ran from 4th - 6th Feb, was a fantastic success. The characters were wonderfully portrayed - the 'guys' gaining much-deserved laughs and appreciation for their perfectly captured mannerisms and attitudes. These ranged from the endearing charm of Corey (both young and old), Alf and Kirk to the sleazy self-importance of Michael, Billy, Huey and Lionel; not forgetting the unique qualities of Feargal, the nerd, or the whining tones of their teacher, Mr Cocker, as he tried to control his class as well as his feelings for the 'Angelic' Miss Brannigan...
The female characters were played with clear style and attitude - those hours spent watching Hollywood teen-movies had clearly not been wasted as the girls were perfect!
The costumes were a riot of colour and the girls' hair and make-up exploded with enthusiasm and energy that could only be matched by their dancing, choreographed by Cressida and Jemima (Upper VI), and superb singing.
The traditional atmosphere of the main hall was given a huge boost of adrenalin as the 8-piece rock band, including Molly and Alex (Upper VI) on Sax and Trombone and led by Mr Sykes (re-living his own 1980s keyboard-playing days), provided a powerful backing for the singers, all controlled by Mr Cohen on the sound desk with lighting by Rachel, Lower V.
All in all, a fantastic team effort resulting in a wonderful feel-good effect for the enthusiastic audiences, who couldn't get enough of the fun - indeed many came back to see it for a second time! Well done, everyone!!
Chris Sykes
