IF a company of adults had performed the two plays at the Octagon Theatre at Okehampton College last Wednesday evening, I could not have been more moved and informed than I was by the amazing performances of the young students of the college, who took part in 'Club Asylum' and 'The Exonorated'
The choice of plays was, one would imagine, beyond the scope of these youngsters of only 16 years of age. But they portrayed their characters with real passion and aplomb. In both cases the action was pacy and slick. Not a second for the audience to become bored.
Both plays are clearly exacting, emotionally and physically, to perform. The first tells how many of the people who seek asylum are sent to live in environments such as a certain area of Glasgow, where the youngsters who live there already have a difficult time of it, having known social depravation most of their lives. Their knowledge concerning asylum seekers being confined to rumours that these foreigners get everything handed to them free whilst they are left homeless or penniless or both. Terror and violence ensues as the two cultures collide.
One young theatre goer sitting behind me before the performance asks his friend 'What's asylum mean anyway> I thought it was a place for mad people.'
After the performance I heard him say to the person he was with 'that was brilliant . . . I had no idea about asylum seekers'
Not only is the story true it is informative and well performed by a lively cast of young actors.
The second play 'The Exonerated', by Jessica Blank and Erik Jenson, was exceptionally well performed by a group of passionate actors, The story is true and tells how some poor unfortunate death row prisoners are often wrongly accused and are kept on hold in the dreaded row sometimes for years.
The actors took different roles. Boys and girls switched from determined 'cop' to weeping widow of the wrongly accused 'Jesse' who suffers no less than three goes on the electric chair before the system works. You can imagine the utter grief of the widow (I noticed real tears on the actor's face) especially as the true murderer actually confessed to the crime. Too late, of course.
Both plays are informative and the playwrights have undoubtedly used their skills to raise our awareness of two situations that most of us are liable to dismiss from our minds.
In both plays, the actors were required to hold our attention on a fairly bleak set and with no change in disguise . . . no dressing up! And they did that in both performances.
I and others who were lucky enough to be there were gripped by both stories and that was down to the skill of the youngsters, their convincing portrayals of the various characters, the way they moved around the stage, danced or spoke in an American accent and the clarity of speech. They amazed me with their professionalism and word perfect performances, a great tribute to their hard work and natural ability. It reflects also the high level of coaching from the drama department, which brings the talent of our Okehampton youngsters to light.
Maggie Clark
Mill Farm, South Zeal