Being cast as the lead in the University’s biggest play this term is not something you expect as a first year, but Fran Handley, a Drama student and fresher will be playing the lead, Wendla Bergmann, in The Spring Awakening later this week. Fran could not be more excited and thrilled to have received this role, however the pressure really is on. The show is on this week from the 26th-30th of November, in The Deb Hall at the Guild, and is promised to be a spooky spectacle not to be missed!
“The auditions were really scary” Fran explains, they all took place within the first week of the term, a time when most fresher’s are still recovering from one too many drunken nights and trying to get a grip on the fact that they’re actually at uni, and will have to cook for themselves every day… The audition process was long, and quite experimental; it took a while for Fran to get to grips with it all. Initially the audition was a physical workshop, working on a specific character, they also looked at tableaux, and other activities to aid the physical side of the production. The next stage included singing, but as the process continued Fran’s confidence grew and wowed the cast and directors in the final recall as she played the part of Wendla in front of the prospective cast. After securing the role Fran celebrated with her friends the only way a UOB student should, straight to FAB for a girlie night out!
Fran’s always loved performing, attending her first Drama class when she was eight years old and having done ballet and other types of dance since nursery school. Her dance background has really helped with perfecting this role as the play has lots of physical theatre elements something Fran herself was really excited to explore. “Our Spring Awakening is quite different to other productions of it I have seen” she states, telling me about how it creates a great emphasis on the shows darker themes representing them through the performance and its imaginative staging something I’m excited to watch unfold.
As the performance is getting nearer and nearer Fran will miss her “Spring Family” and the support they have shown her as she takes on the daunting task of carrying the show. We all wish her the best of luck, and cannot wait to go and support her this Thursday night. Break a leg Fran!