Dramatic Society on Tour

Naples, Gaeta and Rome

Once again we were invited by the Associazione Culturale " Romeo Collalti " to take part in their annual youth drama festival in Rome.

Arrangements are made through Signora Nunzia Bertali, Italian Consul in Birkenhead, who, every year, manages to add a new and interesting dimension to the trip.

This year we presented a musical version of Herman Melville's Moby Dick at Rome's Teatro Quirino as well as at two other venues.

The audience at Teatro Quirino was bigger and more enthusiastic than ever. Dr Massimo Collalti, the president of the Associazione, greeted us warmly, pronounced the show 'splendid' and invited us back for the 2001 festival.

Many thanks to the backstage staff at Teatro Quirino who are always so helpful when we have to set up in a very short time.

For the third time we took the show to the Convitto Nazionale School in the centre of Naples. As usual, our performers were mobbed for autographs and each evening the England - Italy football international took place with one victory for each country.

We are very grateful to Sandy, Prof. Racioppi, Pasquale and the other educatori and staff at the Convitto for inviting us and for making all the arrangements.

The new venue this year was Gaeta, a beautiful town on the coast between Naples and Rome. We were the guests of the Liceo Scientifico "Enrico Fermi".

We performed the show at Teatro Ariston to a lively audience of students from the school and afterwards they accompanied us on the short walk to the beach.

Later on we were stunned to find that a huge party had been arranged with food and music. It took place at a yacht club, beautifully located overlooking the bay. Italian and English students quickly made friends and many interesting dancing styles were in evidence. Afterwards we were ferried back to the highly recommended Hotel Ariston in Formia, whose owners had been persuaded to put us up at youth hostel prices.

The following morning some students took us on a brief tour of the sights of Gaeta before we had to say goodbye to catch the train to Rome for our flight home. We were all overwhelmed by the warmth of the welcome in Gaeta and by the kindness and generosity of everyone we met there.

Thanks must also go to MSF Auto of Ellesmere Port for their generosity in sponsoring our trip, to the Parents' Association and members of the cast for their fund-raising efforts and to Dan, Stewart and Matt of Off The Ground Touring Theatre Company who again transported all our props and musical instruments to Italy and stage managed the show while there.

The team . . .

Captain Ahab	Eric Blakemore
Ishmael	Michael Hayes
Amy	Caroline Dhenin
Archy	Philip Walker
Pip	Dan Hughes
Queequeg	Michael Durkin
Starbuck	Andrew Balmforth
Elijah	Huw Bebb
Tashtego	Peter Kirwan
Mrs Hussey	Emma Humphreys
Father Mapple	Eric Blakemore
Flask	Huw Bebb
Stinky, the seal	James Conlon
Daggoo	Tom Risely
Seraphina	Emma Humphreys
Dough Boy	James Conlon
Musicians	Stephen Barrow
	Jack Patterson
	Adam Duncan
	Peter Kirwan
Musical Director	Mary Chaffé
Choreographer	Dan Meigh
Costume & Make-up	Alison Gatenby
Stage Management	Dan Meigh
	Stewart Jones
	Matthew Bartlett
Sound	Dan Meigh
Props	Roger McCoy
	Alison Gatenby
Director	Randall Lewton