On Wednesday, our Year 11-13 Drama students headed to the ASB Waterfront Theatre to watch ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’. Tom Stoppard’s play made for a brilliant and curious experience, especially for the Year 13 students, as it their final theatre trip while at the College.
True to the stylistic form of theatre of the absurd, the supporting characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet are suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Unsure as to why or what the purpose of this change is, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s journey leaks their own existentialism to the audience. Ella Flores says, “I left the theatre thinking things I never would’ve thought about before – the idea of ‘when did I first find out about death?’”
Vibrant discussion continued; Anna Nguyen described it as, “Brilliant! I thought it provoked a very pensive evaluation of life” with Jade McGregor saying, “the concept was well thought out and had an unexpected execution”.
With themes of impermanence, relativity and finding one’s purpose in life all twisted into a witty performance, our students left the theatre contemplating a great deal.
Meggy Laguda
