High school production of Burke and Hare entrancing
Up the stairs,
But and Ben
Hare
Burke's the thief,
Knox the boy who buys beef!
For generations the macabre story of Edinburgh bodysnatchers William Burke and William Hare has lingered in the Scottish consciousness and been the stuff of nightmares.
But it also proves rich pickings for amateur drama productions and last week a young cast from Lochaber High School demonstrated what a wealth of talent exists in this part of the Highlands.
Burke and Hare: A Musical Play was written by George Young and, interlaced with various musical numbers, it tells the story of how Burke and Hare ended up facing the gallows after being arrested for murdering vagrants and selling their dead bodies for medical dissection at Edinburgh Medical School.
The plot explores various universal themes such as hypocrisy and temptation, unconditional love and loyalty.
Starring as Burke and Hare were Jamie MacDonald and Annie McNeill with their respective other halves, Helen McDougall and Margaret Hare, as played by Faye close the and doon wi' Burke and butcher, the
Hare's the
MacKinnon
McNeill.
This was the quartet which did the heavy lifting with the main dramatic roles and, while all four were excellent, special mention must be made of Jamie's accomplished turn as Burke, while Faye was not only highly convincing as Burke's unsuspecting partner, but had a wonderful singing voice also. and
Marsaili
Emma Chisholm Anderson.
The orchestra also comes in for special mention for its top drawer handling of the score, with the young musicians demonstrating skill that made you forget how young they actually were.
The orchestra comprised: violins (Mya Clark, Rebecca Lawrie, Megan Pescod, Sandra Hollingdale), cello (Josie Bloom, Josef KocjanBriggs), flutes (Libby Kerr, Stephanie Hume), tenor saxophone (Polina Iljina), alto saxophone (Rhuairidh Poll), percussion (Mhairi MacColl, Archie Campbell), bass guitar (Anna MacDonald) and piano (Finn Young).
At the end of the final night performance last Thursday, head teacher Scott Steele apologised for singling out one person for special praise from the orchestra, but said Finn's piano accompaniment had provided the 'musical thread' which wound its way throughout the score.
Bother drummers, Mhairi and Archie, also need to be mentioned for their tight, driving atmospheric rhythms.
The production was produced and directed by Jacqi Hume and George Young. The show also boasted a highly competent stage, sound and lighting crew that created the perfect conditions for a most enjoyable show, with a dark underside that also made the hairs on your neck stand up. and
Mary