Are you ready for Batman? ARKHAM ASYLUM: The BATMAN Musical
04 July 2012
This term the De La Salle Drama Department is proud to present, as written, devised, directed and performed by the Year 11 SUADWI BTEC Performing Arts group, Arkham Asylum: The Batman Musical! – an all singing all dancing performance written and devised by the group based around the mythology of the superhero and his place in popular culture.
Over the course of the performance we see how the Batman has affected the lives of the criminals of Gotham City, and how the Joker and his henchmen orchestrates their revenge!
THE DEVISING PROCESS
The BTEC Group began the process of devising their performance by thinking about what they wanted the audience to experience and enjoy. It was decided that the performance should be all singing and all dancing with a mind towards creating something that would have links to popular culture.
They began tackling the challenge of creating the performance by identifying key songs from popular culture that they would enjoy singing and dancing to, and that resonated with the characters from the Batman mythology. Once the songs were in place, they then set about linking them with small scenes involving mime, tableaux, movement and dialogue.
The songs chosen by the group show an eclectic taste in music, with music referenced by artists including Brittany Spears, ELO, Wham!, The White Stripes, Otis Reading, Jamie Foxx, Kanye, Barry Manilow, Cyndi Lauper, Bonnie Tyler, Terrorvision, The Velvet Underground, Motorhead, MIA, Tammy Wynnette, Linkin Park, Queen, Joan Jett, Supertramp, The Beatles, Nancy Sinatra, Jefferson Starship and Alice Cooper!
SUADWI?
As a part of their BTEC Performing Arts coursework, the Year 10 BTEC class formed their own performance company, which they decided by popular vote to call S.U.A.D.W.I.
The group discussed the various roles necessary to form a Theatre company, and allocated jobs amongst the group.
When asked to pick a name for their performance group, the BTECers chose ‘SUADWI’ – standing for ‘Shut Up And Deal With It’. This was chosen to reflect the groups ethos of self-sufficiency, and will to overcome any problems set in their path!
Mr Austin – Drama Teacher