Page 60 - The Gonzaga Record 1987
P. 60
reconciliation, forgiveness, and toler- up following an unsuccessful request
ance a central part of any community. for some Mars Bars (rumoured to have
'All work and no play' can be true of been distributed amongst previous
a community as well as an individual, "overtime" workers by the supervising
so we adjourned to the gym and Art Director.) And anyway we were
played badminton, more for a exhausted.
refreshing bash around rather then Walking alone to the bus stop I
skilful play. became increasingly aware of my
In the Middle East eating together is fatigue, which was not helped at all by
a strong sign of friendship, and the the fact that I was rapidly getting very
early Christians used to come together wet. I began to question the ability of
for an 'agape' meal prior. We felt that my endeavours and those of the other
this too should be an integral part of few disciples of stage design and con-
our retreat. It certainly brought home struction. We were carefully moulding
the meaning of St Paul's letter to the and assembling a structure that we
Corinthians (I Cor. 20-22). knew would be required for only three
We then had a large group dis- nights, and would be known by viewers
cussion of what it means to be a to be contrived and unreal, and which
Christian. A brief reflection and hymn would subsequently be destroyed in a
practice preceded the celebration of fraction of the time taken for its
the Eucharist, which brought the vigil construction. Cold rain dribbled
to a close at 7.45 a.m. It was truly a slowly down my neck. Was it all futile?
rewarding, but also a hard night, and However, I knew that in better
we had the feelin g of having attempted moments I also enjoyed the burning
something big. feeling of creativity in action, even if it
I would like to thank in particular involved keeping at tedious chores. We
and very sincerely, Fr J. Brennan SJ, had often worked away as the light of
David Cefai SJ, Joe O'Brien, Padraig day gradually faded, and a strange
O'Sullivan, Bobby Byrne and Sean silence reigned in the school. Busy pro-
Meehan, but most of all. the pupils files were drawn out in the air, with
themselves. lights of blue, and green, and red; their
rays sometimes emphasised by the
B. Regan Marlboro smoke-filled air! Our hand-
made illusions developed and blos-
THE SCHOOL PLAY somed. They took shape and were now
(Backstage) breathing more and more atmosphere.
These were scenes that I know will
Editor's note: We were delighted to get always remain somewhat m the
this contribution from one of the archives of my memory.
At last I saw the illuminated bus
'back- room boys' or stage hands. One number "hover through the fog and
almost never hears from them, and yet filthy air". My reflections faded as I
so much of the success of a play is in
their hands. concentrated on getting dry.
The in exorable first night came.
Enter Macbeth. All eyes look on him
The November ni ght was wild, cold,
and wet. Rain and mist shrouded visi- sharply, critically absorbing and
bility. It was half-past ten when we assessing. Then he begins to speak.
finally came to the front door of the The scene grows darker yet.
school building, having downed our "A drum! A drum!
tools after seve ral hours of ham- Macbeth doth come:'
mering, sawing, and painting. We, the The wicked voices hi ss like serpents. A
last remaining three, decided to fini sh faint blood-red flicker disturbingly
58
ance a central part of any community. for some Mars Bars (rumoured to have
'All work and no play' can be true of been distributed amongst previous
a community as well as an individual, "overtime" workers by the supervising
so we adjourned to the gym and Art Director.) And anyway we were
played badminton, more for a exhausted.
refreshing bash around rather then Walking alone to the bus stop I
skilful play. became increasingly aware of my
In the Middle East eating together is fatigue, which was not helped at all by
a strong sign of friendship, and the the fact that I was rapidly getting very
early Christians used to come together wet. I began to question the ability of
for an 'agape' meal prior. We felt that my endeavours and those of the other
this too should be an integral part of few disciples of stage design and con-
our retreat. It certainly brought home struction. We were carefully moulding
the meaning of St Paul's letter to the and assembling a structure that we
Corinthians (I Cor. 20-22). knew would be required for only three
We then had a large group dis- nights, and would be known by viewers
cussion of what it means to be a to be contrived and unreal, and which
Christian. A brief reflection and hymn would subsequently be destroyed in a
practice preceded the celebration of fraction of the time taken for its
the Eucharist, which brought the vigil construction. Cold rain dribbled
to a close at 7.45 a.m. It was truly a slowly down my neck. Was it all futile?
rewarding, but also a hard night, and However, I knew that in better
we had the feelin g of having attempted moments I also enjoyed the burning
something big. feeling of creativity in action, even if it
I would like to thank in particular involved keeping at tedious chores. We
and very sincerely, Fr J. Brennan SJ, had often worked away as the light of
David Cefai SJ, Joe O'Brien, Padraig day gradually faded, and a strange
O'Sullivan, Bobby Byrne and Sean silence reigned in the school. Busy pro-
Meehan, but most of all. the pupils files were drawn out in the air, with
themselves. lights of blue, and green, and red; their
rays sometimes emphasised by the
B. Regan Marlboro smoke-filled air! Our hand-
made illusions developed and blos-
THE SCHOOL PLAY somed. They took shape and were now
(Backstage) breathing more and more atmosphere.
These were scenes that I know will
Editor's note: We were delighted to get always remain somewhat m the
this contribution from one of the archives of my memory.
At last I saw the illuminated bus
'back- room boys' or stage hands. One number "hover through the fog and
almost never hears from them, and yet filthy air". My reflections faded as I
so much of the success of a play is in
their hands. concentrated on getting dry.
The in exorable first night came.
Enter Macbeth. All eyes look on him
The November ni ght was wild, cold,
and wet. Rain and mist shrouded visi- sharply, critically absorbing and
bility. It was half-past ten when we assessing. Then he begins to speak.
finally came to the front door of the The scene grows darker yet.
school building, having downed our "A drum! A drum!
tools after seve ral hours of ham- Macbeth doth come:'
mering, sawing, and painting. We, the The wicked voices hi ss like serpents. A
last remaining three, decided to fini sh faint blood-red flicker disturbingly
58
