Martha Fooks
Martha joined the tech (ninja) team for Mikado 2017, rigging and vainly attempting to operate lights in the dreaded Nuffield, where she fell in love with the society (and the director, Billy Boulton) and went on to emerge from the warm, dark womb of the lighting box to be born again as a chorus member in Half a Sixpence 2017 and Mikado 2017 (Harrogate) that summer.
In her second year, Martha resumed her usual chorus position for Ruddygore 2018 after a painfully nervous audition. Next time, however, she came prepared, and was cast in her first principal role as Lady Jane, the unloved yet effervescent alto, in the society's hipster-inspired production of Patience 2018. It was also in her second year that Martha took the plunge and was voted into LOpSOc's Committee as Secretary.
In her third year, Martha undertook the new task of Directing! Alongside Co-Director Delyth Simons and a wonderful Production Team, Martha made Anglo-Saxons and Vikings of the LOpSOc cast for Princess Ida 2019. Following this, she again became part of the principal cast to portray Eliza in Double Feature 2019 ('Trial by Jury' and 'The Zoo', heading again to Harrogate for round two shortly after with Double Feature 2019 (Harrogate). Martha also graduated this summer, achieving a 1st class degree in English Literature and leaving university - yes - but apparently not LOpSoc.
Post-graduation, Martha returned in yet another principal role - this one her hardest challenge yet. Cast as Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore 2020, she valiantly (and somewhat successfully) pretended to be a tenor. Next, it was back to the director's chair for the upcoming 'Cinderella' in Summer 2020. That is, until a global pandemic resulted in the show's cancellation. Martha is very grateful to the amazing cast who put so much effort into the first few weeks of rehearsals that 'Cinderella' was sure to be an incredible show, if it had ever been able to happen.
Now, in the great empty summer of social distanced isolation, Martha wonders if her time in LOpSoc is finished. She had hoped to go out with a bang taking 'HMS Pinafore' up to Harrogate for one final curtain, but with the festival also cancelled Martha has been left to fade into obscurity quietly and without fuss, this wiki the only remaining trace of her existence within the exalted halls of LOpSoc.
But, after summer had come and gone, Christmas was cancelled, and a new spring began - the LOpSoc AGM 2021 came around. Nobody ran for Secretary. SUSU had changed the rules to allow alumni members to run for committee positions. Martha's time had come. She'd have to do it remotely for most of the year, but it might work; it just might work. And thus, Martha re-joined the LOpSoc committee as Secretary. Where do we go from here? Only time will tell.
History of Roles
| Performance | Role |
|---|---|
| Mikado 2017 | Lighting Operator |
| Half a Sixpence 2017 | Chorus |
| Mikado 2017 (Harrogate) | Chorus |
| Ruddygore 2018 | Chorus |
| Patience 2018 | Lady Jane |
| Princess Ida 2019 | Director |
| Double Feature 2019 | Eliza |
| Double Feature 2019 (Harrogate) | Eliza |
| H.M.S. Pinafore 2020 | Ralph Rackstraw |
| Cinderella 2020 (Cancelled) | Director |