The preparations for the school’s annual drama production are well underway, with rehearsals for the actors, singers and dancers already in full swing. This year’s musical, Fiddler on the Roof, addresses some very dark themes which have alarming relevance in today’s world despite the fact that the play was written over 50 years ago. NewsKnight caught up with Mr Sills to discuss this and more.
“I think Fiddler on the Roof is a classic musical that a lot of people know” he began, “it’s got a wide variety of great music, but also I think it has real depth of meaning and a powerful message.” He refers, of course, to the play’s treatment of the persecution of Russian Jews in early 1900s Europe. Fiddler tells the story of a Russian Tsar who was forcibly moving Jews out of their villages.
Mr Sills claimed that this mass movement of people across the world provided "a link in terms of the migrant crisis and the various people across the world today who are having to make journeys because they’ve been displaced from their homes”. Although presenting such themes could be thought of as a bold move for a school production, this seems like a very well timed choice in the light of the current political climate.
When asked about the casting process, Mr Sills emphasised the significance of the “vocal and physical expression within auditions” highlighting the coordination between the music and drama departments during this process. “I don’t really have an idea of who’s going to be what character until the auditions,” he explained, “but then I guess there are things to do with appearance, to do with the age of the student and how they would look together – are they engaging to watch?”.
It is clear that a lot of thought has gone into picking the perfect person for each and every role, hinting that this year’s production is bound to be another resounding success.