Photo: Heidi Dorschler of cube Theatre in “The Locksmith’s Wife”

School pupils in Truro have been watching a professional theatre company bring to life a play written by one of their teachers.

For three weeks from Monday 11th January Truro School’s associate Theatre Group, cube Theatre, took up residency in the Burrell Theatre rehearsing their spring production, The Locksmith’s Wife.

The play was specially written for them by Dr Mark Crees, who teaches English at the school. He explained that the play is “a light Dickensian fable of honest toil, grinding poverty, and the redeeming power of literature”. Rehearsals took place in the school’s Burrell Theatre and were open to the students and staff – thus giving the school community a unique opportunity to watch a professional theatre company bring a new play to life.

The residency culminated in two performances on Saturday 30th January and Monday 1st February at 7.30pm, which launched a two-month tour of England and Scotland.

The company of actors is small: Benjamin Symes, Ben Oldfield and Heidi Dorschler. The Director is Jon Welch, assisted by Kyla Goodey, Nix Wood; the Technical Director is Ben Shipway and the Stage Manager is Lottie Bowser.

Truro School’s association with cube theatre, now in its third year, also means that professional actors direct student productions and lead regular workshops at the school; the relationship between professional theatre and a school is believed to be unique in the south west.
Photo: Heidi Dorschler of cube Theatre in “The Locksmith’s Wife”

February 2010