This year’s NES production will be Matilda the Musical, based off of the Roald Dahl book. It’ll be only the second since the pandemic! Being in the production myself, I decided to ask Ms Rezaei a few questions about it, to have a teacher’s perspective on staging a show.
So, why Matilda then?
Matilda – both the movie and the book – is a story many of us grew up enjoying. Matilda herself is always an outcast, set aside from her peers, which Ms Rezaei told me that she could definitely relate to growing up. Anyone who has ever stood out would relate to Matilda’s character, even though they may have been standing out for other reasons! Since Matilda is set in a school, it would resonate more with the students acting it out. Besides, the songs are great.
What might be next year’s production?
Probably a play like Mary Poppins or Annie or something from Disney. Something well-loved, which many might remember from their childhood … and with a lot of singing, because who doesn’t love a good musical?
What do you like the most about this year’s production?
One of the best things about this year’s production was that so many people cared to show up to auditions and rehearsals. Many people showed perseverance and came on time, though rehearsals were sometimes during break times or (nearer to the end) running for two hours. Since most parents and cultures don’t really believe in acting or drama as a hobby, it was mostly down to students and their own dedication.
What did you like the least about this year’s production?
Time management was a bit difficult to deal with, since the script often had to be amended or even rewritten. There was also the issue that students sometimes had other responsibilities, which could be frustrating. It would be difficult to do a scene when one of the characters wasn’t there. Overall though, there hasn’t been too much to complain about.
What about this would you change, if you could?
Mostly the production has gone smoothly, but having more rehearsals might have made it more polished. It would have probably been easier if auditions had been earlier in the year so there would have been more preparation time. Overall it wasn’t too hard to organise and manage, though getting it started was a bit difficult
Lastly, do you feel that the students or this experience in general taught you anything?
That children need more time than adults! Students don’t tend to be experienced professionals, and often need a lot of practice to understand things and implement them. This took some getting used to. The pace had to be slowed a little bit and some things had to be revised. Basically, with children it’s probably best to focus on things for longer.
