Derry schoolchildren win North West Drama Festival

The pupils performed ‘Doctúir Cé agus na Victeoiriaigh’ (Doctor Who and the Victorians), which was written by their teacher Alicia O’Kane, who is ‘bursting with pride’ for her class.

Léigh an t-alt seo i nGaeilge anseo.

The children explained to the ‘Journal’ that the play was based in the Victorian era, when Dr Cé and his friends Liath and Cailín went to London and to Ireland, through time, in a Tardis. In London, the Doctor met Charles Dickens and Dr Bernardo, James Jarvis and jack Summers.

One child explained: “Jack Summers, or ‘Shrimps’ as he was called, and Jim Jarvis were poor children, who Bernardo helped. They lived on the streets of London. Dr Bernardo opened houses for children because he wanted to help poor children who had no houses or money. One boy died on the streets because he was too cold. Dr Bernardo had a house for children but it was full. After that, Dr Bernardo decided that he would let everybody in.”

Another child said: “We also met Queen Victoria, her husband Albert and their children. Prince Albert died after drinking dirty water. In the drama, he dies straight away but in real life, he survived for a few weeks or months. Typhoid was going around at that time and it is thought that he died from that. When Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria was so heartbroken that she wore black clothes for the rest of her life.”

Acting isn’t the only thing the children did on stage; they also sang, danced and played music.

"There was hip-hop dancing in the play too,” explained one child. “Amelia’s mammy came in to teach us the dance to the song ‘Sisters are doing it for themselves’. Dr Cé was a very funny character but he was very forgetful. People had to keep reminding him to change his socks and underwear so the robot in the play said ‘behind every good man is a great woman’ and that’s when the dance started.”

"We had a céilí, too, where we did the dance Aoibhneas na Bealtaine (Sweets of May), when the characters went to Ireland. The Famine was happening in Ireland at that time so they had music and dancing to raise people’s spirits. We also had a traditional music band. Eamonn, Cillian, Faela, Falon, Caitlín and Reuben were in the band and they played the Kerry Polka.

The play finished with the children singing ‘Royals’ in Irish, which has been translated by the Irish college TG Lurgan. The children say they really enjoyed the play and they are all very proud of themselves, but not as proud as their teacher.

"I was so proud of them,” Alicia said. “Very, very proud. I didn’t sleep much the night before, though, because I was so nervous! I knew they had worked hard to prepare for this and the other plays were of a very high standard but I was so proud of them and I know that they deserved to win. We practiced in the hall on Monday and invited their parents as well as pupils from primary 3-6 to come in and see them. On that day, I told them that my heart was bursting with pride and it still is.”

The young people said they screamed when they were told they won and they all felt ‘amazing’. Mia also won a special prize for the Best Actor. The children will go on to compete again in the Ulster Festival before the end of the month but, for now, they’re taking a well deserved break and enjoying their win.