From the 6th to 8th of March 2024, Guilford County school’s drama department and students performed this year’s play of ‘Wind in the Willows’ by Kenneth Grahame. Starting to work on the play last September and beginning rehearsals in December, all the students involved worked hard and thoroughly to produce and perform such an inspiring and impressively student-led production. Although every viewer can recount the wonders and of the show and its performance, we wanted to look at what the process was like behind the scenes, by briefly interviewing the lead of the play, Alex, who played Mole, and one of the members of chorus and physical theatre, Jacob. 

Correspondent: Have you ever participated in any of the County plays in previous years? How different was your experience? 

Alex: I was in the previous year’s play (Alice in Wonderland)and it really was very different this year compared to that, I went to a lot more rehearsals than the last year, as I had more scenes as the lead, so I got to see how most of the show was put together from the very beginning.

Correspondent: What was your experience like as your role?

Jacob: Even though physical theatre is listed as chorus, it didn’t feel like we were less important or less needed. Without lines or a name, simply throughout movement, embodiment of inanimate objects like a caravan or a tree, as well as the props, I felt like we all ‘became’ the play. 

Correspondent: What was your favourite part of rehearsals?

Alex: ⁠I just loved being together with everyone and creating such an amazing play and it was a brilliant experience for everybody. At rehearsals I laughed so much every time, it was such a supportive and fun atmosphere!

Jacob: I’d say the best part was talking and collaborating with people I haven’t had the chance to work with before. Not only did I make new friends from other year groups, but I also definitely got closer to people from my own classes. 

Correspondent: Did you have a favourite scene?

Alex: Scene 3 was my favourite just because it was so chaotic! We had our character toad on the boat, which took so long to figure out, as we needed to move the boat around stage, while he delivered his lines, while the others responded. We tried many different options and experimented a lot, but the end result with physical theatre dragging him around stage on a trolley was worth it.