This is an extremely challenging political drama that explores some very strong themes. Our interpretation, set in a post WW2 unnamed European country, fully embraced the Brechtian style, incorporating theatrical techniques and devices designed to engage the audience, but also to remind them that they are watching a play. Brecht wanted his audiences to think, to question and to judge and we hope that our audiences went home feeling intellectually challenged and motivated to further consider some of the play’s key themes and messages.

To give our production a contemporary twist, we included a live rock band and substituted the original music for contemporary songs. The band were expertly conducted by Year 13 Ryan H who also arranged all of the music. The set, created by Year 12 and 13 students in Backstage Theatre Enrichment, was designed to represent the interior of a run-down meeting hall, with bare brickwork suggesting a war-torn region. Whilst the costumes reflected the time period of 1945, all militaria and uniforms were deliberately mismatched in order to represent a variety of time periods and nationalities to create a sense of ambiguity and universality, and also, hopefully, to remind the audience of current conflicts in different parts of the world and the impact of these on ordinary, innocent people.

Our fabulous cast of students from Years 10-13 worked extremely hard throughout the term to bring this difficult production to life. They gave incredible performances, showcasing a wide range of talent.