„The truth is rarely pure and never simple“
–The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wild
„Teach me that song your mother taught you.“
–Songs My Mother Taught Me by Kristi-Anne Seth
Those were some of the remarkable quotes we were able to hear in the plays that were performed by the Phoenix Theatre. On Friday the 17th January a theatre duo from the Phoenix Theatre visited Burgenland Gymnasium Laucha to perform three different plays for us.
Our youngest were able to watch Captain Jack, a musical written by Kristi-Anne Seth, which invites the audience on a thrilling pirate adventure in search of the legendary treasure of the notorious Black Dog Peterson.
The story centers on Mary, a courageous young woman who disguises herself as a sailor to join the crew of the famous Captain Jack. Her mission is to find the treasure and return it to England, but Captain Jack has his own agenda. With quick thinking and the assistance of the quirky sailor Stinky Smith, Mary hatches a clever plan to outwit the pirates and seize the gold.
Es ist abwechslungsreich, Englisch durch ein Theaterspiel zu lernen, weil man nicht oft die Gelegenheit dazu bekommt und es macht mehr Spaß als im Unterricht,
said Mathilda Woithon, one of our students from 7th grade and it truly is a great opportunity, that our school presents us the chance to experience theatre in a foreign language. The plays were fitting for each group of students and therefore everyone was able to understand them.
The 8th, 9th and 10th graders watched Songs My Mother Taught Me by Kristi-Anne Seth, a moving play that tackles the highly relevant issue of the refugee crisis. The story brings together characters from different backgrounds who, despite their cultural differences, language barriers, and unique life experiences, come to realize that they share common hopes and dreams. This production challenges perceptions of „otherness“ and encourages reflection on our attitudes toward those who seem different from us.
The feedback from the students was positive, Armin Tornow, 10th grade, mentioned that he enjoyed watching the play.
Es hat eine wichtige Nachricht vermittelt und war sehr kreativ, weil es viel mit Musik, Tanz und Gesang verbunden war. Die Schauspieler haben es überzeugend dargestellt und sich viel Mühe gegeben.
Lastly our oldest students were able to watch the third play of the day, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, a comedy that pokes fun at Victorian society’s obsession with appearances and social conventions.
The story revolves around two bachelors, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who invent imaginary personas named „Earnest“ to escape their responsibilities and pursue romance. Jack assumes the identity of „Earnest“ to win the affections of Gwendolen Fairfax, while Algernon adopts the same name to charm Cecily Cardew. Their elaborate deceptions soon spiral into chaos, resulting in clever misunderstandings and amusing twists. As the truth unravels, love wins, and Jack makes an unexpected discovery.
With its sharp humour and brilliant wordplay, the play offers a clever critique of hypocrisy and the superficiality of high society.
Am beeindruckendsten fand ich, dass das gesamte Stück von nur zwei Leuten aufgeführt wurde, obwohl es viele verschiedene Charaktere gab. Mit verschiedenen Akzenten, vielen Kostümwechseln und noch mehr Humor haben die beiden ein großartiges Theaterstück auf die Beine gestellt
Esther Frenzel, 12th grade
Three plays. Two actors. One company.
The Phoenix Theatre presented our school with an unique experience and they left a very good impression. An English theatre is a special event of almost every school year and it’s always an highlight to look forward to. We get to experience the talent of young actors, when they present us stories from all over the world. From Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, they always bring something new with them. This tradition is unique and it should continue staying, because theatre itself takes an important place at our school and we are lucky to get the chance to learn about the English language and culture outside of the classroom.
Hanna Hörl 12a