House Drama: Ain’t Misbehavin’
This year’s House Drama embraced the brief Ain’t Misbehavin’ with gleeful commitment, as students were tasked with choosing a scene from musical theatre, a play, or devising an original comedy sketch, then turning it on its head in the name of misrule and chaos. Across the day, each house brought a distinct flavour of anarchy to the stage, resulting in performances that were inventive, high-energy, and joyfully unpredictable.
Moffat delivered a bold and highly theatrical reimagining of Hamlet, adjusting Shakespeare’s prose for sharp comedic effect. What began as a familiar scene quickly descended into mayhem, with a misbehaving ensemble driving the chaos: ghosts attempted to spy on the action from behind doors, technical crew members dismantled set pieces mid-monologue, and lighting mishaps deliberately disrupted the rhythm of the scene. The performance escalated to a striking finale as Hamlet broke the fourth wall, the actor spiralling into a surreal nightmare populated by clowns. The ambition and precision of the piece were recognised with awards for Best Female Performer and Best Male Performer, both going to Moffat.
Carey took a more musical-comedy route with a performance of Dentist! from Little Shop of Horrors. The number combined excellent physical comedy with expressive character work, using a giant toothbrush as a memorable prop while delivering a strong comedic performance. The playful absurdity of the staging and the commitment to visual humour ensured the performance stood out, earning Carey the award for Best Gag.
Chalmers brought dynamic movement and ensemble energy to Seize the Day from Newsies. Making full use of the stage, performers incorporated crates and stairs as set pieces, constantly shifting levels and positions. As the number progressed, the sense of chaos grew, with newspapers thrown across the stage to heighten the frenetic energy. The strength of the group as a cohesive unit was acknowledged with awards for Best Ensemble and Best House Spirit.
Livingstone presented a scene from Matilda, performing Revolting Children in a tightly choreographed and highly imaginative number. Students moved fluidly around the classroom-style set, climbing on and off desks and weaving through the space with confidence. Audience members were drawn into the mischief by throwing paper aeroplanes, and the scene featured the Trunchbull being chased off, before continuing with the students’ energetic antics. The creativity and polish of the performance earned Livingstone Best Overall Performance as well as Best Direction.
Overall, the day captured the spirit of Ain’t Misbehavin’ perfectly. Each house interpreted the brief in its own way, but all shared a clear sense of fun, theatrical risk-taking, and disciplined chaos—making House Drama a memorable and entertaining showcase of student talent.
