Review: Pupils pull off magical show (From Stroud News and Journal)

Review: Pupils pull off magical show

You may have seen The Lord of the Rings on the big screen but you certainly missed a treat if you were not at Maidenhill School last week to see their production of The Hobbit, the book that started it all.

Jason Orsi played Bilbo Baggins, the down-to-earth hobbit with a streak of mischief, surprised to find that underneath his conservative exterior lay a brave and resourceful burglar. He made the audience laugh even when faced with the terrible dangers of goblins, spiders and dragons.

The first scene saw the wizard, Gandalf, played with authority by James Webb, giving Bilbo his instructions to help the dwarves recapture their treasure from the dragon, Smaug. The dwarves, played by pupils from Years 8 to 11, were lively and active and added to the performance with their singing, accompanied by the Baggins Band. The band was excellent and added to the exciting and atmospheric mood.

The scenery was particularly impressive, with a large backdrop painted in the style of the book cover to recreate the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. Costumes for Bilbo and the dwarves were in rustic colours, contrasting well with the gangster outfits of the goblins and the floaty dresses of the elves.

The makeup changed the identity of familiar pupils making them unrecognisable even to those who see them every day. It must have been very time-consuming painting Gollum green all over for every performance.

This was an ambitious project for the director, Chris Stimson, who was keen to do something different after last year's success with Jesus Christ Superstar. All the cast and crew had worked very hard to make a success of The Hobbit and the audiences for the four-night run were very impressed.

Victoria Walker