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by Fazila Olaniyan | ed. Ara Downey
What would Remus Lupin be called if he had an autoimmune disease? Remus Lupus!
…I tried my best, guys. But you know who will have much, much better jokes in store? Medshow 2025!
Look forward to the vocal renditions of pop songs that dramatise each character arc, the Gen Z slapstick humour and maybe even Harry Potter’s sexy dances…? With planning underway since January, the directors, cast and crew’s 8 months of effort are finally coming to fruition this 8th-10th October! If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, why not? As our fellow cast and crew members have said, you’ll be able to support your friends on stage doing what they love, while watching a top-tier production filled with lots of songs, dramatics and humour. And besides, all the profits will go to the Youth Off the Streets, a non-profit youth service organisation that supports 12-24 year olds experiencing or at risk of homelessness and complex disadvantage, using a trauma-informed and culturally responsive model.
This ties in beautifully with this year’s theme, Harry Potter and the Goblet Cell of Fire, where Xavier, our director, hopes the theme of the “power of friendship’ that drives the plot will be felt amongst the audience. Wizard, Witch or muggle – you have the power to lend a hand, or support your friends, and back a good cause all in one go. Ultimately, as Xavier puts it, Medshow is living proof that med students CAN be talented, funny, eccentric, breaking the stereotype of hermits that study all day and talk to no one.
The Medshow experience is unlike any other. From the Vocals team’s road trip to Central Coast, to the slightly-drunk poster runs and cast rehearsals sessions (yes, a cheeky little run to Liquorland never hurt anyone right), the stories are endless. And yet the biggest challenge Vocals faced? Finding a rehearsal venue every Tuesday. Which makes a lot of sense, because I remember studying in the dungeons of Wally during HMB and hearing hauntingly angelic voices echoing from stairwells. Don’t get me wrong, they sounded amazing – but when you’ve been underground for six hours in a building full of cadavers, even angelic voices can freak you out.
And yet, even as a first year international student, Matthias never felt out of place in vocals. The supportive community, both creative and academic (Medshow even runs mock OSCEs and tutes!), plus seniors who are always down to show you the ropes; or just chill, sing and have fun, made them a highlight. No wonder Matthias is already mourning the loss of these fun-filled Tuesday evenings.
Mondira knows that feeling too. This is her third year of being in Medshow, and she keeps coming back. In her first year, she applied and got rejected by every single portfolio but decided to join the photography team instead. Fast forward – she made a massive comeback, and out of 50 applicants, became one of the 10 selected cast members this year! We’re so excited to see what Dumbledore has in store for us. And psst… Mondira told us to look forward to seeing what’s under Dumbledore’s hat and beard?
And what really keeps her coming back is the community, the spontaneity, the post-session dinners, and all the laughs at rehearsals.
Mark (our Harry Potter) agrees. He loves the freedom to mess around, unlike strict professional plays, while also being able to inject his own ideas and humor (expect some of his brain rot jokes). He also values meeting such a diverse mix of people across all years… even doctors who were Med Show students 10 years ago! Fun fact: Dr Kalli Spencer (head of clinical skills) was a theatre performer who teaches salsa, and came down to rehearsal to give them feedback!
So whether you’re here for the med references, Gen Z humour, song, dance, acting, costumes, or tech and lighting – there is something for everyone. And who knows? Maybe this play will ignite the flame to join Medshow next year! As both Mondira and Mark said, it’s refreshing to switch your mind off from med for a few hours, do something creative, and then come back to your studies feeling extra productive.
So grab your tickets, make it a date night, or come with your friends, it’s a night you don’t want to miss! See you there 😉
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