The publicity poster for The Tempest designed by Form 4 student Ashley Loh Siew Ting.
KUCHING: Renowned English playwright William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ will be brought to life here this Aug 7 and 8, thanks to the effort of over 80 secondary school students of St Joseph’s Private School.
According to a press statement, the student-led cast and production team have been hard at work since February rehearsing and preparing for the show, with minimal advice from teachers.
“Shakespeare represents English drama in its purest form. Shakespearean plays are timeless and have a depth that would give a sufficient challenge to directors, actors and production crew.
“In response to the difficulty in understanding and working with the original Shakespearean English, a modern English script of ‘The Tempest’ that was faithful to the original text will be staged. Shakespeare has not been staged in Kuching for a while and it is hoped that this will bring some excitement to the cultural scene in our city,” read the statement.
Neither an outright comedy nor tragedy, ‘The Tempest’ explores enduring themes of conversion, love, servanthood and change that would not be out of place in any contemporary movie or novel. The deft mix of comedic elements, serious episodes and romantic interludes that are magically woven together truly transports the audience into another world where dukes become magicians and storms can be conjured out of thin air.
The practice of having a school drama production has been a tradition in Jesuit schools the world over and St Joseph’s Private School, which was founded in 2012, joins this with their maiden school production.
Furthermore, staging a full-scale drama production is one of the ways in which students can learn about drama, stagecraft and organisational skills that would aid them in their future, the statement added.
The play will be staged this Aug 7 and 8 at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Parish Centre (ACCPC), St Joseph’s Cathedral. The play will commence at 7.30pm on both days.
Tickets are priced at RM20 and RM40 and may be obtained at the school during office hours.
Those interested can contact 082-414575 or 082-420575 for further details.