Hoods

By Ange Betzien. Directed by Emma Leadon. Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex, St Mark’s Anglican Community School, Hillarys, WA. Sep 17-18, 2025

Year 11 Drama students from St Mark’s Anglican Community School Hillarys, presented Australin drama Hoods for a short season. The class of nine students created an ensemble cast, playing multiple roles and forming a Greek chorus to tell this touching story of abandoned children, left in a car, in a shopping centre car park.

The cast were dressed in identical grey hoodies, reflecting the title and giving them a uniformity and ensemble feel. Siblings, primary school aged Jessie and Kyle, with infant brother Troy, have been asked to wait in the car, with the expectation that their mother will return shortly. When their mother fails to return, the children are left to their own devices, and we are exposed to the world of their imagination and via flashbacks, learning the situations that have led to this moment.

Lily Robinson as Jessie and Phoebe Love as Kyle were very believable as the young siblings, vulnerable, quarrelling, and trying to be strong. They gave fine anchoring performances, around which the ensemble could perform.

The Hoods ensemble - Naomi Clark, Rhianna Cole, Toby Green, Grace Hatsall, Catherine Jodas, Ben Sandbrook and Kurtis Worth - showed outstanding teamwork, a great understanding of physical theatre, and an ability to create diverse characters quickly, as they worked together to tell this sad, little Australian story. Director Emma Leadon used a variety of choral speaking techniques, as well as excellent individual characters – to create a vibrant story.

Emotive lighting by Sam Pettit and a strong and organic soundscape by Chris McRae supported the show beautifully.

This cast showed a passion for the text and a wonderful sense of unity both of which helped to make this a compelling piece of theatre.

Kimberley Shaw