Performing Arts

The Visit, 2022 VCE Theatre Studies

Congratulations to the VCE Theatre Studies class of 2022 on their production of The Visit.

The VCE Theatre Studies class of 2022 proudly presented their Unit 3 assessment, the production of The Visit by Frederich Durrenmatt, translated by Maurice Valency at the Holloway Theatre on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May. We were grateful to have lots of support from the college, parents, families, friends and alumni who all turned out in droves to enjoy the show and celebrate the VCE students' hard work.

The production is the culmination of over a terms work and the final performances are just one part of the process that is assessed. Students apply two production roles, choosing from acting, direction and various forms of theatrical design to interpret a script. The task requires them to plan and research, develop, test, trial and refine their work, and finally present this piece of theatre to an audience. Throughout the production process, students document their work and engage in practical training to support their development as theatre practitioners.

The Visit, a piercing, dark, tragi-comedy about a scorned woman’s ultimate revenge, was a challenging piece. It required students to consider complex and mature themes, use safe and ethical working practises to bring the story to life, and apply technology to enhance their work. Students also needed to be well versed in the world of the actor: learning lines, applying accents, constructing characters and working within the unique stylistic challenges of the script.

Despite COVID complications, reduced class time and an array of other difficulties that presented themselves, the cast were able to collaborate, problem solve and support one another throughout the process to produce two wonderful evenings of entertainment. A special thank you to year 10 student Archie Hughes who stepped in to undertake a role just one week prior to performance. His efforts were simply remarkable.

Congratulations to each and every student in the VCE class. We are thrilled that you rose to the challenges and were able to perform confidently, present designs that were carefully considered, and speak articulately about the process in the post show Q&A forum. You are to be commended for your resilience and patience, your integrity and commitment to the work, your creative risk-taking and passion for producing live theatre. Congratulations class of 2022!