Dr Who and the Victorians off to Letterkenny

Thankfully there was not a Dalek in sight in Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir, when Derry Now heard all about Primary Seven’s recent success at Féile Dramaíochta an Iarthuaiscirt with their play, ‘Dr Who and the Victorians’.  

The competition was co-organised by Irish language enthusiasts and educators Risteard Mac Daibhéid and Ciarán Prunty and their colleagues.

Class teacher, Alicia O’Kane, and pupils, Mia Prione and Ruben Lees, were still buzzing from winning the North West Drama Festival in the Strule Arts’ Centre in Omagh.

On course now for the Ulster final today (Tuesday), in Letterkenny’s An Grianán Theatre, Ms O’Kane explained how the winning play had come about.

She said: “Last term in school, we were learning about inventions and the Victorian Age. I had come across a small script online about Dr Who travelling back in time and meeting people from the Victorian era, so I adapted it. I translated it into Irish and I added four more scenes. 

“I wanted to make sure that everybody in the class, all 25 Primary Seven’s, had a line in the play. Then, on March 7, we all got our costumes on in school and headed off to Omagh on the bus. We were in school nice and early that morning. We were delighted we won and if we are successful, we go through to the All Ireland festival. 

“‘Dr Who and the Victorians’ is about Dr Who travelling through time in his TARDIS and meeting famous Victorians. I added the part where he started his journey in Ireland, just at the beginning of the Irish Famine.

“So, we had a scene in the kitchen where we had dancers. Eight children from the class danced the ‘Sweets of May’ céilí dance and then we had music from a band of traditional musicians from our class. We had tin whistles, a bodhrán, a banjo and a harp and they played ‘The Kerry Polka’,” said Ms O’Kane. 

Dr Who then met Charles Dickens, who talked a wee bit about his life. 

“He then went and met Dr Barnardo and talked about the street children in London at the time,” said Ms O’Kane.

“He also met Queen Victoria. We met Queen Victoria when she was born, at the very start of the play and we came back and revisited her later on in her life, when we had  some of her nine children as characters in the play.

“We included five of them because we had done a wee bit of research about their interests and what they liked to do and we discovered that one of Queen Victoria’s children, Vicky, was very interested in languages and was a fluent French speaker. And, Mia,  who is sitting here beside me, is a fluent French speaker. She speaks French at home with her Daddy.

“The props and costumes we needed were kindly gifted by Cara and Deaglán in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin. I also raided my wardrobe at home and brought in a few pieces from home,” smiled Ms O’Kane.

According to Ms O’Kane, the judges in Omagh thought ‘Dr Who and the Victorians’ was excellent. 

“In our feedback they said they enjoyed the play and there were some really strong characters developed throughout. They found it very interesting and they liked the way we learned about the Victorian era through drama. 

“I am so, so proud of the children and it was amazing to get through to the Ulster final but, as I said, even if we hadn’t got

through, I am still so proud of them for all of the hard work they have put into rehearsals.

“We only had a few weeks to practise so we were practising quite a lot in school, and they had their lines to practise at home. 

“Because of how proud I was of them, on Friday, in school, I organised a wee chippy takeaway in class from Barr’s. It was well-deserved and we had a lovely afternoon in class,” beamed Ms O’Kane.

Mia, who played Dr Who’s ‘Glamorous Assistant’ Leila, won an individual prize at the Festival. 
She said: “I got the prize for saying my lines clearly and my projection. In part of the play I spoke French to Queen Victoria’s daughter, Vicky.

Mia Prione who won an award at the Féile Dramaíochta an Iarthuaiscirt in Omagh.

“My Daddy (Laurent) is French and we speak a lot of French with him in the house. My Mammy (Samantha) is also a fluent French speaker, so I enjoyed rehearsing my lines with them.

“Before the play, I felt a bit nervous because my mind went blank and I thought I didn’t know my lines.

“But, the very second I had to say them, I was okay.  Whenever I was on the stage, I enjoyed every minute. It was great fun and everybody did amazingly well. There was a really good atmosphere.

“I think it was a lot easier performing in front of people I didn’t know because the day before we had a dress rehearsal and my parents were there and Primary 3, 4, 5, and 6 were all there watching us and it was very nerve wracking because you didn’t know what they were going to say. But, with people you don’t know, it doesn’t matter. It was really good,” said Mia with a smile.

Ruben said he enjoyed performing as well.

“I was very nervous before I went on the stage. When I was packing the suitcase at the start of the play I was feeling really nervous but when I took it off the table, the nerves just went away.

“Our play helped me to learn about the Victorians and I think I would be interested in doing more plays. My cousin, Ashton, wants to be an opera singer and she has been in lots of shows in the Millennium Forum. 

“My brother plays the guitar and I play the tin whistle and the banjo. We go to classes in Acadamh Ceoil beside An Cultúrlann. We did a wee show here in school at Hallowe’en and I was able to play some of the notes of Bohemian Rhapsody on the piano,” said Ruben. 

Ruben and Mia also appeared in ‘Scrooge’ in An Cultúrlann at Christmas.

“At Hallowe’en, there was a haunted House and me and a few other people from the class were mannequins that came to life,” giggled Mia. “It was very funny to watch the adults jump with fright.”