Return to the Forbidden Planet

Our College Production for December 2009 was based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and the 1950s scifi classic "Forbidden Planet"

In December 2009, Callington Community College staged "Return To Forbidden Planet" a comic scifi musical using rock and roll songs taken from the fifties and sixties (The Monster Munch, Good Vibrations, She's Not There, All Shook Up etc).

Using a live band and two casts, the main hall of the college was transformed into the USS Spaceship Albatross. Based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and the 1950s scifi classic "Forbidden Planet", the play uses the language of Shakespeare.

Assistant Directors Dulcie Cox and Pippa Sainsbury report as follows:

Mission complete! Once again the College has produced an outstanding Production.  Based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest" - but with a modern twist.  Set on the US Starship Albatross, this production was an out of world experience for both the audience and the actors. With well known classics like Good Vibrations and All Shook Up.  Captain Tempest - a square jawed Boy's Own paper hero and pipe smoker, with the help of the intelligent but feminine Science Officer - who really proves this isn't just a man's world, together they lead the starship which is brought down by Dr. Prospero - a mad scientist stranded on the planet D'lllyria, with his beloved daughter Miranda and his two robots Ariel and Persil.  Their arrival brings love, danger and music!

This year we had two incredible casts who both gave their all!  Everyone did a brilliant job and had loads of fun!  Credit should be given to everyone. Including Elliot Coombe and Andrew Butler who showed the very few sides of Captain Tempest. Also to Pippa Spottiswoode and Rowan Stolton for their amazing performances of the Science Officer A.K.A Gloria.  Rowan Davis-Butler and Jenni Strange, two great actresses, played the innocent and naive Miranda who captures the heart of the simple but loving cook - Cookie, played by Freya Beavis and Sally Shipton - again two great actresses.  This romance, encouraged by the ships Purser played by Violet Taylor and Ruby Lawrence, two fantastic actresses, turned back on itself to create disaster.  But with all of this going on, who would run the ship in it's hour of need?  Of course, our Navigation Officer - a woman who knows where she is going - she really did help make the show a success. Also there was Bosun - an all-round good girl, Corinna Taylor and Meg Chaplin both gave brilliant performances.  Then there were the two robots!  Three great actresses who saved the day - Tamsyn Strange, Sarah Treliving and Katie Stentiford. Finally a great thanks to all the crew.  Especially all the bridge crew who did non-stop work! Plus the two scary aliens Laurence Jewell and Martin Harriman.

Thanks to Becky Meagor our production secretary who kept things together.  A special thanks to Chris Neve and Keith Hubbard and his team from the construction department, this was one amazing set!  What was also incredible this year was our costumes - which were all created by Gaia Harvey Jackson, with help from Wendy Reading and Lauren Coates, these people made the show look superb.  Also a big thanks to Mr. Lane and his band for accompanying the cast - it made the songs sound fantastic!  Also a thanks to the directors Jonathon Plunkett and Chris Neve and the assistant directors Dulcie "Buns" Cox and Pippa Sainsbury. This year's show has been a definite success!