Year 12 Drama
On the evening of Tuesday the 10th of September, the Year 12 Drama students presented their final solo performance pieces to their family and friends in preparation for their final performance exam. After months of brainstorming, improvising, researching, scripting, rehearsing, editing, and refining ten performances were ready for the stage. Of the ten VCAA offered character structures, eight have been explored by the members of Melbourne Girls’ College Drama students.
Then on Friday the 11th of October the students presented their solo performances for examination purposes to a panel of VCAA examiners. It was a great day, and everyone came out of their exam smiling - great work everyone!
Lindy Mummé – Drama teacher.
The structures selected were as follows:
Structure 1: The Detective
Frustrated that the police are ignoring the obvious evidence, the brash Detective approaches their former colleague, the Boston Police Chief, offering to do his job for him. Boasting of a tip-off about new evidence regarding the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, the Detective claims they can solve the case within a week.
Performed by Sammi Sastradipradja
Structure 3: Rosie of the North
With the men returning to the factories at the end of World War Two, Rosie receives a redundancy slip terminating her employment. Wanting to continue to make a contribution and earn a solid pay-packet, and reluctant to return to home duties, Rosie confronts her male superiors, refusing to ‘go quietly’.
Performed by Eve Wheeler
Structure 4: The Altogether-Unsuitable-To-Be-A-Knight Kevin
During his current quest, King Arthur stumbles upon the-altogether-unsuitable-to-be-a-knight Kevin, who unwittingly involves the King in an incident involving a feather and an onion. Kevin seizes this opportunity to fulfil his lifelong dream of becoming a Knight of the Round Table and eagerly offers his resume and skill set to the dubious King.
Performed by Emily Higgins
Structure 5: The Puppet
With ‘Punch and Judy’ stories no longer seen as socially acceptable, the now shelved Puppet decides to reinvent itself to remain employed and relevant to the modern world. Making it clear to its reluctant puppet troupe that they need to change their image, the Puppet pitches a contemporary interpretation of ‘The Willow Pattern’ story as the way forward.
Performed by Violet Peake
Structure 7: The Wannabe
Following a stellar year in their individual career but having been overlooked yet again for Time Person of the Year, the annoyed and self-important Wannabe confronts the editors of Time magazine, demanding their place in history be acknowledged and celebrated.
Performed by Anna Byrne
Structure 8: The Drama Teacher
After a particularly stressful rehearsal of their musical adaptation of Euripides’ Medea, the overly dramatic Drama Teacher storms into the principal’s office, stating that they ‘cannot work under these conditions’. Threatening to walk unless something changes, the Drama Teacher outlines their past achievements and how they think they are indispensable to the school.
Performed by Summer Bramberger and Brooke Marsland
Structure 9: Norma Desmond
Convinced that the talkies are just a passing phase and silent films are forever, Norma Desmond insists that her latest script, Salome, be made into a silent film. After being rejected by Cecil B DeMille, a desperate and delusional Norma approaches a rival production company executive demanding that the film be produced, with herself in the title role, to announce her comeback.
Performed by Sophie Moutray-Read and Paris Vagias
Structure 10: The Spirit of The Commonwealth Games
With no takers to host the Games in 2026, King Charles summons the weary and ambivalent Spirit of the Commonwealth Games to Buckingham Palace, demanding the Spirit do whatever it takes to ‘make the Games great again’ and to ensure the continuation of the Commonwealth. The Spirit tries to educate King Charles as to the realities of the current state of the world.
Performed by Meg Chapman
