CODS productions are about far more than the talent and hard work of the cast alone—the set plays a vital role in bringing each show to life and shaping the final result.

If you thought Easter weekend was for chocolate, slippers and a well‑earned lie‑in, think again. For members of CODS, Easter meant dust, drills and plenty of aching muscles.

Renowned for their impressively imaginative sets, CODS have once again raised the bar. Starting with nothing more than an empty school hall, there was no pre‑built framework and certainly no magical theatre elves arriving overnight—just a blank canvas, a clear vision and a lot of willing hands. Of course, the steady supply of tea and cake didn’t hurt either.

Director Holly Harris set the tone early, with a clear creative brief: let the costumes and lighting do the heavy lifting when it comes to atmosphere and storytelling. Translation? A deliberately simple set design for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, proving that less really can be more—especially when your coat has more colours than a Dulux catalogue.

Behind the scenes, Craig Phoenix and Gillian Mackenzie have been quietly (and heroically) leading the build.

For the past six weeks, they’ve devoted half a day every weekend to constructing the set. While simpler than some past productions, “simple” is a relative term when you’re effectively playing a life‑size game of Tetris to find space to build it all.

With the stage now taking shape and opening night fast approaching, CODS are firmly on track. The foundations are laid, the vision is clear, and the technicolour magic is ready to shine.

Performance dates are Tuesday, April 14 to Saturday, April 18, (7.30pm) including a 2.30pm Saturday matinee at QE Lower School (Barnfield Site).

Tickets from: www.codsonline or https://buytickets.at/codscrediton/1983290