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Stagefright
Go on, break a leg.
Velvet S Pye stood outside the gates of Yarrabank High and a creeping feeling came over her. This was going to be the worst day, the beginning of a miserable year. In fact, the rest of her life was destined to be a complete write-off. She used to have it all - private school, luxury holidays, loads of friends - but then her world fell apart, sending her crashing to grubby, sports-mad Yarrabank High. Could things get any worse? Sure they could. Velvet is yet to meet her cultural studies class.
Velvet S Pye stood outside the gates of Yarrabank High and a creeping feeling came over her. This was going to be the worst day, the beginning of a miserable year. In fact, the rest of her life was destined to be a complete write-off. She used to have it all - private school, luxury holidays, loads of friends - but then her world fell apart, sending her crashing to grubby, sports-mad Yarrabank High. Could things get any worse? Sure they could. Velvet is yet to meet her cultural studies class.
289 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
4 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Carole Wilkinson
66 books290 followersCarole was born in England in 1950. Her family moved to Australia when she was 12. She now lives in Melbourne, with her husband John.
Carole didn't start writing until she was nearly 40. Before that, she worked as a laboratory assistant, working with a lot of blood and brains. Once she’d decided to try and become a writer, she went to university. She wrote a lot while she was there including her first novel. She showed it to a friend who worked in publishing who asked if she could write a teenage novel. Her first published book was based on something her daughter, who was at high school at the time, was doing.
Carole says she has lots of ideas and so far she’s never had 'writers' block'. She might have got a late start, but she’s been trying to make up for lost time and has written more than 30 books, some short stories, a telemovie and some TV and planetarium scripts.
Carole didn't start writing until she was nearly 40. Before that, she worked as a laboratory assistant, working with a lot of blood and brains. Once she’d decided to try and become a writer, she went to university. She wrote a lot while she was there including her first novel. She showed it to a friend who worked in publishing who asked if she could write a teenage novel. Her first published book was based on something her daughter, who was at high school at the time, was doing.
Carole says she has lots of ideas and so far she’s never had 'writers' block'. She might have got a late start, but she’s been trying to make up for lost time and has written more than 30 books, some short stories, a telemovie and some TV and planetarium scripts.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 5, 2016
Ok so by and large I enjoyed this book. It had a cast of VERY diverse characters but tended toward stereotypes according to ethnicity, sexuality and particularily class. There was a lack of problematisation of the inequalities uncovered (or hinted at) such as underfunded vs very privileged schools. It was almost as if the message of the book was a sort of tolerance of diversity (even celebration of diversity) which keeps inequality intact as valid expressions of diversity. Then again at times I was sure that the author wasn't really intending to say that, it was just that a compulsion to be "positive" was driving the narrative into those waters.
I also thought that while the stereotypes were probably meant to add some comedy to the book (it wasn't all that funny to me) it was sort of an easy-road choice by the author where an ounce of subtlety could have a achieved so much more.
So what did I like? The true and positive depiction of Australian society as culturally mixed (she managed to get a reference to food in there which may be cliche but was well done...and is true). The tolerance of "difference" within reason and a positive portrayal of conflict. The fact that much of this conflict happened between the protagonist and the love-interest without making either of them unlikeable or falling back into gender stereotypes (or not so much as most romances). I felt ambivalent about the romance. I liked it a lot better than most teen romances in books...or most romances in general because they had a connection based upon mutual respect, admiration of talents and learning from each other. I hated how much of the plot it took over, how it became the reason for the protagonist to turn her back on the first of many good career choices and that this was not at all problematised. I also disliked that people were seen as "naturally" and inevitably drawn toward a partner of their correct gender (the book rightly featured some lesbian characters and a boy who might have been gay...and kudos for the ambiguity actually for all that it was heavily laid on). I would have liked some people to choose or want NOT to date as well (that may be too much to ask).
But the character makes a very life-altering choice at the end (although she makes light of that because anyone anywhere can succeed despite inequalities just by thinking positive doncha know) because luuuuurve. And that was irritating. But if we must have girl meets boy from wrong side of the tracks romances this was possibly the nicest I have read. He wasn't creepy or rapey or abusive toward her...they had conflict and both were equally to blame for it.
So yeah if you like high school books with romance in them then this is not too bad. It also goes through a lesser known Shakespeare play in a fair bit of detail and discusses musical genres in theatre which was kind of a cool side to it. The portrayal of teachers was offensively cynical and the parents in the book seemed criminally neglectful but I guess the point of all that was to centre the capable child (still teachers deserve better press).
Yeah mixed feelings. And an enjoyable recognisably Australian setting in Victoria.
I also thought that while the stereotypes were probably meant to add some comedy to the book (it wasn't all that funny to me) it was sort of an easy-road choice by the author where an ounce of subtlety could have a achieved so much more.
So what did I like? The true and positive depiction of Australian society as culturally mixed (she managed to get a reference to food in there which may be cliche but was well done...and is true). The tolerance of "difference" within reason and a positive portrayal of conflict. The fact that much of this conflict happened between the protagonist and the love-interest without making either of them unlikeable or falling back into gender stereotypes (or not so much as most romances). I felt ambivalent about the romance. I liked it a lot better than most teen romances in books...or most romances in general because they had a connection based upon mutual respect, admiration of talents and learning from each other. I hated how much of the plot it took over, how it became the reason for the protagonist to turn her back on the first of many good career choices and that this was not at all problematised. I also disliked that people were seen as "naturally" and inevitably drawn toward a partner of their correct gender (the book rightly featured some lesbian characters and a boy who might have been gay...and kudos for the ambiguity actually for all that it was heavily laid on). I would have liked some people to choose or want NOT to date as well (that may be too much to ask).
But the character makes a very life-altering choice at the end (although she makes light of that because anyone anywhere can succeed despite inequalities just by thinking positive doncha know) because luuuuurve. And that was irritating. But if we must have girl meets boy from wrong side of the tracks romances this was possibly the nicest I have read. He wasn't creepy or rapey or abusive toward her...they had conflict and both were equally to blame for it.
So yeah if you like high school books with romance in them then this is not too bad. It also goes through a lesser known Shakespeare play in a fair bit of detail and discusses musical genres in theatre which was kind of a cool side to it. The portrayal of teachers was offensively cynical and the parents in the book seemed criminally neglectful but I guess the point of all that was to centre the capable child (still teachers deserve better press).
Yeah mixed feelings. And an enjoyable recognisably Australian setting in Victoria.
June 28, 2013
Such a sweet book! Velvet S Pye is suddenly dropped from her posh private school into all-sports-obsessed public school, where the penalty for not being good/wanting to participate in sports is to join the "Cultural Studies" group in a rundown demountable. And it only gets worse when it is decided they will stage a musical theatre version of - for better or worse - Richard The Third, arguably Shakespeare's most darkest and bloodiest work.
This novel has been compared to Summer Heights High meets Glee and although it lacks the cutting social satire of SHH, it has that same tongue-in-cheek Aussie humour and it is fun like Glee - I love the motley crew ensemble cast of characters which Wilkinson manages to impart with energy and their own separate personalities, even though it is a lot of characters to handle.
The only thing that doesn't work as well are the musical numbers themselves - reduced to prose on page, it's really hard to imagine what they sound like it real life, although Wilkinson has done her best to write meaningful poetry.
Further sweetness: Initially published in 1996 and updated in this edition in 2013, Carole's famous daughter, Lili Wilkinson wrote Pink also about a high school stage production in between in 2009. Make sure you read the both of them!
Overall, Stagefright is one of those novels that will leave you with a big smile on your face and happy feet after you finish. I'm a huge fan of both Carole Wilkinson and Sue Lawson, who both write with that warm, sensitive, down-to-earth Aussie YA sensibility.
PS - I love the cover, while cute in it's own right, it's lovely to discover the link to the image while reading the text ;-)
Meanwhile earlier on the ranch...
Carole Wilkinson <3 I saw her once in the flesh, turned red and ran away. I was in my twenties :P
This novel has been compared to Summer Heights High meets Glee and although it lacks the cutting social satire of SHH, it has that same tongue-in-cheek Aussie humour and it is fun like Glee - I love the motley crew ensemble cast of characters which Wilkinson manages to impart with energy and their own separate personalities, even though it is a lot of characters to handle.
The only thing that doesn't work as well are the musical numbers themselves - reduced to prose on page, it's really hard to imagine what they sound like it real life, although Wilkinson has done her best to write meaningful poetry.
Further sweetness: Initially published in 1996 and updated in this edition in 2013, Carole's famous daughter, Lili Wilkinson wrote Pink also about a high school stage production in between in 2009. Make sure you read the both of them!
Overall, Stagefright is one of those novels that will leave you with a big smile on your face and happy feet after you finish. I'm a huge fan of both Carole Wilkinson and Sue Lawson, who both write with that warm, sensitive, down-to-earth Aussie YA sensibility.
PS - I love the cover, while cute in it's own right, it's lovely to discover the link to the image while reading the text ;-)
Meanwhile earlier on the ranch...
Carole Wilkinson <3 I saw her once in the flesh, turned red and ran away. I was in my twenties :P
March 27, 2013
I found this a light-hearted, enjoyable and occasionally symbolic read. It was very interesting to read about a fictional school in Melbourne that still had elements in it that I could relate to. Seeing the members of Stagefright start as such different people, but come together to make such a successful play was lovely.
The language used in the book was very fluent and easy to read, and Carole Wilkinson's development as a writer was evident in the improvement seen from the first edition of the book I read years ago.
Overall, Stagefright was a funny, interesting and very enjoyable read. However I (as a person who enjoys reading books without a shred of action in it), may have found it more enjoyable than most.
The language used in the book was very fluent and easy to read, and Carole Wilkinson's development as a writer was evident in the improvement seen from the first edition of the book I read years ago.
Overall, Stagefright was a funny, interesting and very enjoyable read. However I (as a person who enjoys reading books without a shred of action in it), may have found it more enjoyable than most.
April 30, 2019
Velvet used to have everything a private school, luxury holidays and many friends. That all changed after her world fell apart, she is forced to go to a sport obsessed school, Yarrabank High. As Velvet gets through her first day she learns day on Thursday they mainly do sport she tries every sport but isn’t any good so she is put into a cultural studies class. She meets Roula, Mei, Taleb, Peter, Hailie, Drago and Jesus they do want they want in cultural studies class but when the sports-mad principle comes in and says they need to put on a play by the end of the year they struggle with songs, money and costumes will they put a show that everyone will remember? Overall on of my many favorite books.
December 30, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It really surprised me!
In a way this book sort of reminded me of "School of Rock" in the way that a small group of teenagers who knew almost nothing about each other became close and produced something spectacular! Velvet reminded me of Summer and Mr MacDonald reminded me of Dewey Finn, especially with the description of his pot belly! This book was sort of set up for something cliche, but I liked it nonetheless. The males in the production impressed me, I didn't really expect them to become so enthusiastic towards the play.
Velvet much like Summer in "School of Rock" was essential to the play, however she was annoying in the way that she was indecisive sometimes and could't get her thoughts straight. As strange as it may sound I found it pretty hilarious when Velvet continually found ways to get out of sport - but unrealistic in the way that the ENTIRE school played sport on a Thursday, and only those few students were unable to play sport or just weren't good at it...
The ending was really cute, but I really didn't see that coming for Roula, it was so unexpected! But Velvet and Taleb's ending was predictable! I also really liked the little details about the play at the end of the book, with the name of the characters and who were playing them!
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did, and I would highly recommend it!
In a way this book sort of reminded me of "School of Rock" in the way that a small group of teenagers who knew almost nothing about each other became close and produced something spectacular! Velvet reminded me of Summer and Mr MacDonald reminded me of Dewey Finn, especially with the description of his pot belly! This book was sort of set up for something cliche, but I liked it nonetheless. The males in the production impressed me, I didn't really expect them to become so enthusiastic towards the play.
Velvet much like Summer in "School of Rock" was essential to the play, however she was annoying in the way that she was indecisive sometimes and could't get her thoughts straight. As strange as it may sound I found it pretty hilarious when Velvet continually found ways to get out of sport - but unrealistic in the way that the ENTIRE school played sport on a Thursday, and only those few students were unable to play sport or just weren't good at it...
The ending was really cute, but I really didn't see that coming for Roula, it was so unexpected! But Velvet and Taleb's ending was predictable! I also really liked the little details about the play at the end of the book, with the name of the characters and who were playing them!
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did, and I would highly recommend it!
March 30, 2013
Carole Wilkinson wrote the Dragonkeeper and Ramose series. Here she renovates a book she wrote in 1996.
A group of misfits remakes Richard III.
One reviewer described this as ‘Glee meets Summer Heights High.’
http://www.readings.com.au/review/sta...
I think you can tell it was written earlier in her career, but very soon, you become engaged with the characters and story and then you are too busy, happily reading to notice.
A group of misfits remakes Richard III.
One reviewer described this as ‘Glee meets Summer Heights High.’
http://www.readings.com.au/review/sta...
I think you can tell it was written earlier in her career, but very soon, you become engaged with the characters and story and then you are too busy, happily reading to notice.
September 21, 2023
"Maybe some people don't need words."
I didn't like the writing at first, but then I fell in love with Velvet and her co-stars. So yes, it's hilarious. Keep in mind it's set in highschool last century, with some slight tech updates from 2013.
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Pre-read
I just had to wait a bit and this turned up at the Charity Bookshop. Who knows how long I'll wait before reading it...
August 14, 2015
Stagefright is a interesting book because Velvet, the main character of this book, was forced to move to her new school after losing everything she had -- tons of friends, wealth and more. However, because she moved to her new school she made even better friends. I rated this book a 3 because it was sort of boring sometimes, and this was just a fun read for me.
April 11, 2013
Not a bad read, although the characters were a little strange at times and hard to relate to. I really liked the cover on this one, Found at the ABC bookshop, purchased for $18.95. A very quick read,and an enjoyable ending. Four stars!
June 21, 2013
This book was fairly enjoyable to read. I couldn't really relate to any of the characters and it took me a while to get into it though, but nonetheless I enjoyed it and it had some adorable 'aw' moments. :)
July 8, 2014
Velvet Pye, used to have it all - private school, best friends, but then her world fell apart, sending her to Yarrabank high where she knows no one, has no friends and has to wear a second hand uniform that smells. It was a good book and was surprisingly about Shakespeare and his play 'Richard III'
September 29, 2011
The one where the class decide to turn their class play into a musical... I think it might have been Hamlet? Or something that ends up just as equally disastrous when put to music!
June 19, 2013
hilarious!!!! so good!!! very well associated with the struggles of tennage girls (and boys) in our current era!!! written amazingly!
January 16, 2018
It just didn't ring true for me, and I don't feel as if the tone hit the mark.
September 18, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, I suggest that you pick it up and give it a read.
March 8, 2014
My actual rating is 2.5 stars. The characters were hard to relate to and the story didn't engage me.. I found the story getting more and more boring to read.. The only part I enjoyed was the end.
January 17, 2015
I loved this book! It had similar feel to Melina Marchetta's Saving Francesca minus the family drama.
November 19, 2014
it was an okay book. the ending seemed predictable, but it was enjoyable to read.
July 13, 2015
Meh. At least there was diversity in the book. But that's the only positive thing I have to say about it.
June 6, 2016
Light, quick, 'chick-lit' read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews