In Devon, a group of teenagers on a Drama trip to Widecombe Fair, hear about the legend of Kitty Jay’s Grave. Over two hundred years since her death, there are always flowers on her grave but no one knows who puts them there…
From research into this Dartmoor legend, the play was written by Mr Sykes in two time zones – some scenes set in the present day focused on the comic interplay between the characters on their trip to Widecombe Fair. The central section of the play, however, was set back in 1790 and imagined what might have happened to Kitty Jay to lead to her tragic and thought-provoking death; needless to say, these scenes darkened the mood and provided opportunities for a wider range of emotions to be explored.
A large cast of 37 was called for and all the girls shone in the performance of their characters as each one took, from time to time, the entire focus of the play and the attention of the audience. There were so many lovely cameo performances among the characters at Widecombe Fair and on the farm back in the 1790 scenes that it would take too long to detail them all. The two groups of school pupils worked brilliantly together: Janice, Laura and Ruth (Sophie, Tallulah and Holly) creating great on-stage chemistry as they tried to cope with their Hippy friend, Tessa (Gabby) and the boys (Harriet, Mish and India), were very closely observed in their slobby mannerisms and attitudes to their teachers (Issy and Hannah). India’s ‘Clive’ was particularly endearing in his hopeless and immature obsession with Sophie’s ‘Janice’!
The scenes from 1790 showed how such obsessions in past times could lead to great tragedy and Boo’s portrayal of Kitty Jay, the central character of the play, was full of touching innocence and emotional truth as she was betrayed by the heartless Master Henry (Rosabel), all the while being eternally loved and forgiven by Jamie, the farmer’s son (Rosalind). The audiences, both on Parents day and the later performance to the school, were genuinely moved by this aspect of the production. The contrasting high comedy and farcical relationships between the boys and girls gave great variety to the emotional variety within the show with some aspects expressed through music and dance (Caitlin - singer and Victoria, the ghost of Kitty Jay).
Well done, everyone – it’s so exciting to see such performing talent developing at the school!
