Page 82 - The Gonzaga Record 1990
P. 82
6th YEAR PLAY: ZIGGER ZAGGER
'It suits you down to the ground. It's called Zigger Zagger.' Silence
descended as the full implication of those words was felt by all present.
We had discussed putting on some of the great plays of English literature:
Shakespeare, O'Casey, Williams, Friel, Brecht but now the maestro had
chosen and we were taken aback, puzzled at what he could mean. "It's
about football hooliganism-you'll be medical officers, career guidance
officers, headmasters, vicars, policemen, teachers but mostly yobs who
can swear, fight, throw toilet rolls at each other and generally annoy the
establishment.' He did not need to ask again. Zigger Zagger had already
begun.
'Oh, and there's a black bus conductor. .. ' Eyes glanced furtively at
Gareth O'Connell. 'Come on Gaff, let's hear it,' he coaxed and Gareth
did not disappoint. Suffice to say that, should they ever revive the Black
and White Minstrel Show, his name would be top of the list. We were
ready for them but were the Gonzaga audience ready for rioting, racism
and 'Where's your Father?' Some of it had to go.
Auditions for the principals were swift and decisive: Michael Quinlan
was to be the villain of the title, Eoin O'Duill the unlikely hero Harry,
and the newly-discovered talent of Gareth O'Connell won him the role
of Les-a man who, by comparison, would make Miley Byrnes's life
throb with excitement. The roles for this play were numerous and special
mention must go to: Nicky Dunne for his dual role of effeminate medical
officer and hairy Scottish truckdriver and Eddie Farrelly for the manic
pill-popping youth employment officer. The school first noticed the play
when Fr Sexton inquired, quite innocently, why Darragh Finn was using
that voice - 'He has to. He's the headmaster.'
However, there were others who had to bear the brunt of comparison
and, as English Teacher, I could sense the sheer joy of my 'pupils' as
they jeered and the simple stagenote ('throw papers on the floor') was
changed into 'throw them at the teacher's face'. In one rehearsal, a new
pupil, a very nasty piece of work, one Bevan, Michael joined the class.
He had been worried; these genteel young gentlemen could not even
outshout their numerous Muckross counterparts and he must 'lead the
way ' .
I cannot say that the rehearsals went as smoothly as planned. He did
not fail us but, at times, we failed him. Legend on screen: 'Let the Hitler
80
'It suits you down to the ground. It's called Zigger Zagger.' Silence
descended as the full implication of those words was felt by all present.
We had discussed putting on some of the great plays of English literature:
Shakespeare, O'Casey, Williams, Friel, Brecht but now the maestro had
chosen and we were taken aback, puzzled at what he could mean. "It's
about football hooliganism-you'll be medical officers, career guidance
officers, headmasters, vicars, policemen, teachers but mostly yobs who
can swear, fight, throw toilet rolls at each other and generally annoy the
establishment.' He did not need to ask again. Zigger Zagger had already
begun.
'Oh, and there's a black bus conductor. .. ' Eyes glanced furtively at
Gareth O'Connell. 'Come on Gaff, let's hear it,' he coaxed and Gareth
did not disappoint. Suffice to say that, should they ever revive the Black
and White Minstrel Show, his name would be top of the list. We were
ready for them but were the Gonzaga audience ready for rioting, racism
and 'Where's your Father?' Some of it had to go.
Auditions for the principals were swift and decisive: Michael Quinlan
was to be the villain of the title, Eoin O'Duill the unlikely hero Harry,
and the newly-discovered talent of Gareth O'Connell won him the role
of Les-a man who, by comparison, would make Miley Byrnes's life
throb with excitement. The roles for this play were numerous and special
mention must go to: Nicky Dunne for his dual role of effeminate medical
officer and hairy Scottish truckdriver and Eddie Farrelly for the manic
pill-popping youth employment officer. The school first noticed the play
when Fr Sexton inquired, quite innocently, why Darragh Finn was using
that voice - 'He has to. He's the headmaster.'
However, there were others who had to bear the brunt of comparison
and, as English Teacher, I could sense the sheer joy of my 'pupils' as
they jeered and the simple stagenote ('throw papers on the floor') was
changed into 'throw them at the teacher's face'. In one rehearsal, a new
pupil, a very nasty piece of work, one Bevan, Michael joined the class.
He had been worried; these genteel young gentlemen could not even
outshout their numerous Muckross counterparts and he must 'lead the
way ' .
I cannot say that the rehearsals went as smoothly as planned. He did
not fail us but, at times, we failed him. Legend on screen: 'Let the Hitler
80
