Our Magnum Opus

Day After the Play

Roses for the actress, bacon for the actors

a funny meme a friend made for tech week

Blaise has one day to relax before his summer job begins!

"The Play's the Thing"

Last year at a parent meeting Dr. Russell announced that the play would be Hamlet.  Groan.  The longest, hardest play? Really? I told the kids, and Blaise said, "I feel sorry for the poor schmuck who has to play Hamlet!"  Guess what Bud. 

I hardly know how to write about it without sounding like an obnoxious stage mom. We knew Blaise was a good actor... another day, another Shakespeare role... He was outstanding!  The 17 year old WAS Hamlet.  He played it brilliantly.  A triumph in his senior year.  We are so proud of him. 

As usual, lots of video not many pictures.  Hopefully more photos will surface.  Regina had several minor roles, including lines, and did a fantastic job.  Dominic was an extra in nearly every scene.  His one line, "murder!' was beautifully executed.  Pardon the pun.

Our theater was beautifully suited to Shakespeare, such a treat to perform there!

Regina, far right, as Bernardo

Dominic standing behind King Claudius

spoiler alert: everyone dies

the whole cast did an outstanding job, these are wonderful and talented kids!

 

Twelfth Night

It's been many years since I have had a leisurely Mother's Day with lovely brunches and lunches.  Our Shakespeare play is always that weekend.  The weeks leading up to it are intense. Yet I think it is one of the highlights of my year and I wouldn't give it up.  The Campion Players work hard and perform Shakespeare on stage as well and faithfully as anyone can.  This year they presented Twelfth Night.  Blaise brilliantly played the good-natured, brash, mostly drunk Sir Toby Belch and Regina sang beautifully in the chorus.  There are battles, misconceptions, and mistaken identities... Shakespeare's usual plot twists and comedic tools. Loads of fun.  The cast was so good.  More pictures to come!

The sad and absurd Lady Olivia's house in mourning (Regina on the far right)

the fool, Lady Olivia, and Malvolio

Creating havoc with drunken revelry in Lady Olivia's house

Malvolio tricked into wearing yellow stockings and crossgarters

a happier household singing with the fool

Regina and Blaise (and Lydia)

the cast and crew...best kids anywhere!

 

 

England Day 3

_{Monica, Stephanie, Marcella at Blenheim Palace}

Stratford and Shakespeare's Birthplace

At the Bard's birthplace there is a small round stage in front.  The Campion Players performed several scenes on that little stage.  Jim (Gloucester) and Blaise (Edgar) perform their marvelous Dover scene from King Lear.

Monica, Tessa Caldecott, and Mary Catherine at Holy Trinity Church, the home of Shakespeare's tomb.

_{Monica, Blaise, and J. P.  A long, exciting day.}

 

King Lear

The tragedies are hard to do.  The Campion Players amaze me with every play, every year, but especially the tragedies.  They give it all. (I have a lot more video than pictures, hopefully more pictures will surface.)  The battle scenes were intense and the final scene emotionally wrenching.

the horrible eye plucking scene

Blaise, as Edgar in disguise as Poor Tom, leads the blinded Gloucester to Dover

seniors last performance

With glasses and a beard Regina looks like Alex.  huh.

 

King Lear Tech Week

King Lear is a dark play and it's long.  Fortunately, Dr. Russell cut it a bit and the scenes move quickly.  There is also a lot of action.  Blaise is Edgar, the outcast son of the Duke of Gloucester.  Regina is a soldier, and Monica helped with production.

Maestro Barbeau of Ring of Steel instructing Blaise

my sweet little soldier :)

Caliban's Speech in The Tempest

CALIBAN
Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
The Tempest 3.2.148-156

 

(taken with a cell phone, audio varies through the clip, good comedy, Caliban's beautiful speech comes at the end)

Be Not Afeared. The Isle is Full of Noises.

The Tempest has been played.  The whole cast worked long and hard, each of the three performances was a triumph.  Monica played Francisco, servant to the shipwrecked nobles, Blaise played a wicked, funny, pathetic Caliban, and Regina played an angel.

Each Shakespeare play is exhausting.  After we have rested we find ourselves discussing, rehashing, and discovering nuances and references in the dialog that we had missed before... then wanting to see/do the whole performance again.  Many favorite lines can be heard repeatedly throughout the house by everyone not just the actors.

Kevin's co-worker and her husband attended the final performance.  I thought 'How nice of them, to come all this way!'  And it was, but it turns out they have a special interest in The Tempest.  It is believed Shakespeare based this play off of the story of The Sea Venture which wrecked near an island in Bermuda.  One of the survivors, Stephen Hopkins, who was nearly hanged for mutiny, may have been included as Stephano in the play.  This man who attended our little play is a descendant of Stephen Hopkins and the couple has attended Shakespeare productions in the Stratfords on both sides of the pond.  They told us our production was as good as any they've seen, and amazing for high schoolers.  They were especially complimentary on the costumes and music.  

As with every Shakespeare production they've done, the Saint Edmund Campion Players were outstanding in

The Tempest.

Prospero and Miranda

Ariel

Miranda and Ferdinand

Caliban and Stephano

 A very drunk and hilarious Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.  It was a little disconcerting how well these sweet children played such great drunks!  :)

Sebastian and Antonio on the mountain making sport of Good Gonzalo while the servants, Francisco (Monica) and Adrian rest with the usurper King Alonzo

These two did their best to walk, talk, and sit like men, but they still looked like our pretty girls!

Francisco and Adrian (Monica and Rachel)

 Angels (Jenna and Regina)

Blaise as a pretty creepy Caliban

Tempest Rehearsals

Blaise as Caliban

Monica as Francisco

Regina among the other angels/nymphs

taking a break

 

 

The Tempest