School Drama

Tom Hollander stars as a washed-up TV actor brought in to turn around a failing academy by staging a school play

Newly rebranded Deer Park Academy is struggling to turn itself around after being placed in special measures. Hoping to inspire the students (and tick the 'creative learning' box for the next Ofsted inspection), the headmaster decides to put on a production of Romeo and Juliet.

But inspiration can be dangerous, and when has-been ex-TV star Geoff Cathcart is brought in to direct, he opens a Pandora's box of problems. Geoff is a maverick with little time for rules and regulations, a laissez-faire attitude to health and safety and his own, somewhat unorthodox, ideas about education and creativity. The management doesn't realise what a fire it's lighting and the flames are soon out of control. Then, with opening night looming, a background check reveals that he isn't quite who he appears to be. However, the show must go on, and as the curtain finally rises, the students take to the stage...

Written by Andy Mulligan, whose novel Trash has been translated into 35 languages, this funny, moving 4-part drama stars Tom Hollander (Rev, The Night Manager) and Sian Gibson (Peter Kay's Car Share), performing alongside the staff and students of Portsmouth Grammar School. The final episode comprises an actual, hour-long production of Shakespeare's tragedy of star-crossed lovers, as performed by the pupils of Deer Park Academy with a little help from Tom Hollander as the Friar, Rob Jarvis (Hustle) as Capulet and Suzie Baxter (Suffragette) as the Nurse.

Production credits

Written by Andy Mulligan

Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare and adapted by Andy Mulligan

Produced by Emma Hearn

Directed by John Dryden

Music by Jon Ouin

Sound by Steve Bond

A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4

Cast

Geoff/Friar Lawrence - Tom Hollander

Michelle - Sian Gibson

Headmaster - Tony Gardner

Gail - Heather Craney

Festival Administrator - Vincent Ebrahim

Tom/Capulet - Rob Jarvis

Charlie/Romeo - Divian Ladwa

Naia/Juliet - Rebecca Emerton

Louie/Mercutio - Rory Greenwood

Ben/Paris - Rob Merriam

Ryan/Benvolio - Finn Elliot

School Secretary/Nurse - Susie Baxter

Zoe - Floss Willcocks

Vehicle Manager - Angus Kennedy

Radio Presenter - Jason King

Tybalt - Stevie Basaula

Lady Capulet - Lily-Fleur Bradbury

Friar John - Caolan McCarthy

Lady Montague - Abby Moss

Chorus - Poppy Goad

Prince - Joe McCue

All other parts played by students and teachers at Portsmouth Grammar School: Abby Moss, Poppy Goad, Thomas Locke, Joe McAuley, Freddie Fenton, Douglas James, Joe Haylock, Jay Pasricha, JM Hopkinson, Caleb Barron, Joe McCue, Floss Willcocks, JM Hopkinson

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18-21 May 2016

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