Page 48 - The Gonzaga Record 1994
P. 48
THE OPERA
Double Check by Gerard Murphy
When a pupil of this school has finally celebrated, and it was a slightly plumper
dreamed his way through Transition Year group that met in Simon Morgan’s house
and first enters the hallowed portals of in early January. But spurred on by the
Gonzaga College in September as a pupil intimidatingly short amount of time that
of Fifth Year, two thoughts take lay between us and a polished two-hour
precedence in his mind. The first: a firm opera, we set about learning how to act
resolve to do five hours of study every and sing, learn our lines and, of course,
night (it seemed so realistic at the time). build and light a stage. It did not seem
The second: to get started with the School possible that all this could take place over
Opera the rehearsing for which, one a period of a fortnight, but it did.
believes, is imminent and will be starting Two weeks is short at the best of times
any day now. Not at all. September but never has two weeks run by so fast as
marches by, then October, followed by those two did. Everyone worked very
November. Only at the start of December hard for those weeks. Among the hardest-
does Mr Murphy finally concede that the working were the stage and lighting
auditioning process should commence. crews. And though it can be the oldest
Another week or so later and finally (not cliche in the book, it is true that without
being able to bear any more anxious Fifth them the whole production would have
Year enquiries concerning this opera) Mr been destroyed. No-one ever appreciates
Murphy starts the auditions. the stage and lighting crews sufficiently;
It was only then that we, this year’s cast, they worked immensely hard (up until
stopped and suddenly thought ‘Why do I two in the morning on one occasion). Nor
want to stand up and sing in front of 50 of can one pay sufficient tribute to Mr
my classmates, accompanied only by a O’Connell who, scarcely having ‘struck’
soft piano?’ In our dreamy enthusiasm, the set of Billy Budd had to begin all over
we had lost sight of the very real again to direct their efforts.
embarrassment that certainly awaited us The actual nights of the performance
through the forbidding door of room 40. were extraordinary: every minute for a
Once inside, we all sat on tables or chairs, full two hours, I was convinced
grinning stupidly at one another through everything was about to come to a
chattering teeth. disastrous end but night after night, the
It was then that it dawned on me that no cast, chorus and stage-crew managed to
one in that room was going to do any keep everything going relatively
laughing, not at the risk of sim ilar smoothly.
treatment when their turn came along. My only unpleasant memory was my
And soon this realisation had spread first scene on the first night. I had been
across the room; the atmosphere changed doing fine when suddenly there was a
and people relaxed, so that by my turn. 1 silence that should have been filled by
was quite looking forward to inflicting my me, I stood there desperately looking for
voice on the others. People did laugh, but some prompt for what seemed like three
by that stage everyone was relaxed hours, when my eyes fell on Mr Murphy
enough and confident enough to join in. (I calmly mouthing the lines to me. I
remember the first rehearsal when Nicola gratefully frowned upon it, spat it out at
Doherty, our leading lady, said, ‘I can’t the audience and a few moments later
believe that none of you aren’t gratefully exited.
embarrassed about standing up in front of I hope I have given credit to all
everyone and singing.’). involved in this article so far. But there is
Rehearsals began in earnest after one glaring omission. The man who has
Christmas and the New Year had been not enjoyed a decent Christmas since the
40
Double Check by Gerard Murphy
When a pupil of this school has finally celebrated, and it was a slightly plumper
dreamed his way through Transition Year group that met in Simon Morgan’s house
and first enters the hallowed portals of in early January. But spurred on by the
Gonzaga College in September as a pupil intimidatingly short amount of time that
of Fifth Year, two thoughts take lay between us and a polished two-hour
precedence in his mind. The first: a firm opera, we set about learning how to act
resolve to do five hours of study every and sing, learn our lines and, of course,
night (it seemed so realistic at the time). build and light a stage. It did not seem
The second: to get started with the School possible that all this could take place over
Opera the rehearsing for which, one a period of a fortnight, but it did.
believes, is imminent and will be starting Two weeks is short at the best of times
any day now. Not at all. September but never has two weeks run by so fast as
marches by, then October, followed by those two did. Everyone worked very
November. Only at the start of December hard for those weeks. Among the hardest-
does Mr Murphy finally concede that the working were the stage and lighting
auditioning process should commence. crews. And though it can be the oldest
Another week or so later and finally (not cliche in the book, it is true that without
being able to bear any more anxious Fifth them the whole production would have
Year enquiries concerning this opera) Mr been destroyed. No-one ever appreciates
Murphy starts the auditions. the stage and lighting crews sufficiently;
It was only then that we, this year’s cast, they worked immensely hard (up until
stopped and suddenly thought ‘Why do I two in the morning on one occasion). Nor
want to stand up and sing in front of 50 of can one pay sufficient tribute to Mr
my classmates, accompanied only by a O’Connell who, scarcely having ‘struck’
soft piano?’ In our dreamy enthusiasm, the set of Billy Budd had to begin all over
we had lost sight of the very real again to direct their efforts.
embarrassment that certainly awaited us The actual nights of the performance
through the forbidding door of room 40. were extraordinary: every minute for a
Once inside, we all sat on tables or chairs, full two hours, I was convinced
grinning stupidly at one another through everything was about to come to a
chattering teeth. disastrous end but night after night, the
It was then that it dawned on me that no cast, chorus and stage-crew managed to
one in that room was going to do any keep everything going relatively
laughing, not at the risk of sim ilar smoothly.
treatment when their turn came along. My only unpleasant memory was my
And soon this realisation had spread first scene on the first night. I had been
across the room; the atmosphere changed doing fine when suddenly there was a
and people relaxed, so that by my turn. 1 silence that should have been filled by
was quite looking forward to inflicting my me, I stood there desperately looking for
voice on the others. People did laugh, but some prompt for what seemed like three
by that stage everyone was relaxed hours, when my eyes fell on Mr Murphy
enough and confident enough to join in. (I calmly mouthing the lines to me. I
remember the first rehearsal when Nicola gratefully frowned upon it, spat it out at
Doherty, our leading lady, said, ‘I can’t the audience and a few moments later
believe that none of you aren’t gratefully exited.
embarrassed about standing up in front of I hope I have given credit to all
everyone and singing.’). involved in this article so far. But there is
Rehearsals began in earnest after one glaring omission. The man who has
Christmas and the New Year had been not enjoyed a decent Christmas since the
40
