Author: L. Crankshaw

In Union’s ongoing bid to educate the whole child, the school staged 𝗔 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 of ‘Encanto’ last week, and on Thursday and Friday night, the audience was thrilled by excellent acting, singing and dancing that filled the packed hall!

With increasing demands on teachers to complete the syllabus in very little time, 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙛𝙛 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 for all that they did to make the production such a success.

One only has to look at the faces in this post to see how our learners embraced and relished the roles they performed. It is wonderful to know that such talent is nurtured in our learners.

Union’s adaptation of ‘Encanto’ could have held its own at any drama festival and those who were privy to the few hours of sheer energy, joyful song and dance, and clever witticism were in for a treat that way surpassed any regular high school production with Janet Kingwill’s beautiful set design being the perfect backdrop to this Columbian-set tale.

The show was cleverly narrated by Matthew Basson who held the story together with excellent acting and clear enunciation.

In his likeable role as señor Diego, Matthew told the story of a young girl, Mirabel Madrigal, who has to face life as the only member of her family without magical powers.

Asa Matross, who was aptly cast as Mirabel, delivered a splendid performance. Her execution of this sometimes vulnerable, sometimes comedic protagonist was remarkable, and the passion with which she fought and danced and loved and sang her way through the story made for many a ‘goosebump’ moment!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗯.

Finn Cilliers had the audience in stitches as Felix. Abuela Alma, the matriarch of the Madrigal family, was convincingly performed by Ayabulela Goliath, while the shapeshifting Camilo was played by Josh Arends, the perfect Isabela by Chloe Shires, the super strong Luisa by Brigette Oelofsen, the ostracized uncle Bruno by Arno Nell and the nurturing caretaker Julieta by Grace Merifield, among the many other excellent members of the cast.

Union is so grateful for the incredible vision of Mrs Avrille Putter who produced this fantastic show, backed up by Mrs Sanette Brink, the staff, and of course our wonderful thespians without whom, this would never have happened!

𝘚𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳.