Scotch College

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I would describe the inaugural presentation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as a ‘multi-level learning experience’. Everyone involved in the production had not yet worked in the Geoffrey McComas Theatre and most of the crew took on new roles. The boys had to adjust to a director completely foreign to them and a production process that developed innovative solutions to emerging problems. Cast members and crew members approached me constantly exploring new designs and ideas. Parents showed up daily to either paint, make costumes or generally offer to do anything to help. More than a token offer of help, this was a sign of genuine commitment to make the whole production work.

The production process for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was designed to layer the complexity of live performance into manageable steps, and the concept of layers could be seen in the actual stage plain the set design, lighting, sound and of course the performance of the actors. Even the grand scale of working in such a magnificent theatre went from daunting to totally workable because of layering into those manageable steps. Every fly and every light was utilised to ensure that the experience for the students, teachers and parents alike was nothing less than a full one.

The success of the production at every stage, believe, was attributed to the positive attitude of all involved, the desire to produce a professional performance and above all, the belief that it could be done.

FRANK DONNOLI
Head of Drama, Junior School