At the end of May, Year 9 and 10 students had the opportunity to experience the literary works of World War I poet, Wilfred Owen in the form of theatre. The production was performed by artists from Poetry in Action. The performance followed the life and works of Owen and the influences that led him to become one of the most striking and brilliant voices of his era.
This dynamic show took the students through the horror, heroism and hopelessness of conflict and examined people’s attitudes to war and how, through poetry, people can develop a better understanding of war. The show mixes a touch of humour amongst some serious messages, and the theatrical take captivated the students.
“I liked that they were very intriguing with the audience, how they used loud voices, including funny parts with facts in there. They always kept you hooked and interested, wanting to watch more,” said Caitlin in Year 9.
Indi, also in Year 9 agreed, “I liked the singing and acting parts, they were really interesting, and they had facts in them but were still funny and kept you interested.”
The show tours schools all over the country with the aim of adding value to the students’ understanding of poetry. Artists Kieran, Tasha and Callum enjoy bringing the productions to life and seeing the students’ eyes light up with enthusiasm. “We want to give an opportunity for students to learn in a different setting to what is normally provided. For us we get travel and perform which we enjoy, especially when we are in regional parts of Australia. We hope to give them a bit of a theatre experience that is not as accessible to them,” said Kieran.
“Their reactions are always different. Even though you get a pocket of students who are disinterested, most of them are collectively really engaged. Just getting that one student at the end who comes up to you completely captivated, makes it feel very fulfilling,” said Callum.
“It is those lightbulb moments, and that is the beauty of live art – it’s those instant reactions that you hope to see. We sometimes connect with students on a different level, as they see us as adults who don’t come with consequences – we are just people!” added Tasha.
The artists hope their performances inspire students to step out of their comfort zone and pursue their passion, and also potentially change up the way teachers approach the texts in their lessons.
“We bring a level of passion to the text, and it can sometimes be daunting for students because they are embarrassed in front of their peers. By presenting ourselves as adults who are passionate, and we don’t care that there are students who are disinterested, we hope they realise that they don’t have to care either,” said Kieran.
“There is the beauty of never losing the performance side of it, and potentially making an impact on not only students, but also the teachers on the way they approach the text and teach it in class. Hopefully it will be engaging for everyone understand that you can learn in different ways, you can teach in different ways and on a macro level, you can also absorb in different ways – some students like speeches, some like essays, some don’t like it, and they just find another outlet!” concluded Tasha.
