The budding actors have been given the seal of approval by VCE judges with performances to rival Laurence Olivier and Meryl Streep allowing them to claim top honours.

Teenagers Emily Burleigh, Ali McLaren, Daniel Farrell, Maddy Honan-Hoey and Caitlin Pickett all managed to attain perfect scores in their practical VCE drama exams, placing them at the top of the state’s acting pack.

Ali and Caitlin told The Standard that they spent many months rehearsing for their respective roles, which were performed in front of three drama assessors.

Students received their overall grades in December, but outstanding efforts were recognised this month.

“There’s a lot of work involved from the scripting and directing stage through to the performance,” Caitlin said.

“Improvisation is also a big part, so it’s hard to know how well you’ve performed until you get the score.”

Emily portrayed a futuristic character from the American film Gattaca, Ali played a satirical Jane Austen figure, Daniel hammed it up as Baldrick from British TV comedy Blackadder Goes Forth, Maddy gained laughs as a haphazard opera singer and Caitlin portrayed Chinese pianist Zhu Xiao-mei.

Brauer College teacher Cheryl Finnigan said it was the first time in her 25-year career that she had seen such a large contingent of top drama performers from the one class.

“Achieving a score of 77 out of 77 for their performance places all five students at the highest level, right up there with any other private or public school in the state,” she said.

asinnott@standard.fairfax .com.au