THE EXAM
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No calculators permitted
Your Exam Starts Now
The Exam by Andy Hamilton is a hilarious look at the lives of three teenagers who are about to re-sit some GCSE exams. Each has to survive a powerful barrage of self-doubt, parental pressure and adult incompetence.
The lights dimmed and the three students Chas, Bea and Andrew showed their inner personalities by dancing to songs which related to their lifestyles and personalities. These three students were waiting for their ditsy teacher know as BSE (Helen Maclean) to unlock the classroom so that they could sit their exams, but she is far too absorbed in Biggs (Charlie Furnivall) to be able to unlock the classroom quickly. The three students show how they handle the situation, and in the case of Andrew it's not so well. Once in the exam Bea has the voice of the Exam (Shandana Khan) haunting her. Andrew doesn't cope at all; his mental preparation is shot and he does not complete the exam, whereas Chas realises its not so bad to do well in exams after all and gives it his best shot. The three characters evolve and Bea becomes a little more 'normal' and agrees to go on a date with Chas, who has been after her for a long time. And Andrew? He becomes less worried about his exam, draws a Harley Davidson on his exam paper and goes to Orpington on his way home on the train.
A stunning performance by Henry Haselock introduced us to Chas. Chas comes across as a cocky, up-front, confident and 'cool' guy, who couldn't possibly ever worry about schoolwork. His Mother (Ava Dennis) is a wild, partying sort of lady who gives the impression that she doesn't care, but as we find out at the end of the play, she really does care, she just doesn't know how to show it. His Father (Ramsay McBean) is dead, but appears as a ghost and gives him 'girl advice' - sometimes at the most inappropriate times. As we get to know Chas more, we discover that there is more to him than this cocky stereotype and underneath he is actually a sensitive, caring person, someone who actually wants to do well with his schooling.
Bea was played brilliantly by Lucy McCelland. Bea is a goody two shoes, a 'two brain' who wants to be 'normal' but there is pressure on her at home from her Mother (Katie Hudson), Father (Tom Cullen) and her Aunty Jean (Jessica Moreland) to be the best. And, she is the best, a straight A student who just wants to be normal and not be so intellectual. As the play progresses Bea is influenced by Chas and decides she wants to fail her paper for the first time in her life. But with a bit of talking the two decide it would be better if they didn't fail. "After all," said Chas, "I've got my E to get."
Andrew, aka 'Zit Boy', who was played credibly by Paul Cumming, is a 'nerd' and a loser. He takes his schoolwork completely seriously and has mental preparations for his exams. We find out during the course of the play that Andrew is becoming ill because of all the pressure his Father (Oliver Thompson) and his Mother (Olivia Collie) put on him. He struggles with the concept of 'having fun' and 'having chilling time'.
The Exam was an amusing and well-done performance by the Fourth Formers and one they should be proud of. All audience members who have ever sat through gruelling exams went away enlightened that the troubles they experienced in their exams were shared by others. The reality the actors put into the portrayal of the parents was excellent; it truly showed the pressure parents can cause through the testing times of exams.
Well done Fourth Form!
STOP! Your Exam ends here.
Olivia Spencer-Bower
Exchange Student - Rangi Ruru School, New Zealand