It’s opening night for After Juliet, a gripping tale of love and revenge showing as part of the Flinders Creative Arts Program, with limited tickets available across four shows from 7pm to 8:30pm, Monday, 29 May to Thursday, 1 June.
Join us for this fascinating Senior School play, performed by Matthew Flinders Anglican College’s students across Years 10 to 12, including 16 cast and four crew behind the scenes, and directed by Secondary Drama Teacher, Ms Mel White.
Get your tickets to After Juliet in the Flinders Drama Theatre now at https://www.trybooking.com/CHTOK
After Juliet features the first live fight scene on stage at Flinders, as six of the cast have been trained by top Australian fight choreographer Andy Fraser who has been visiting the College since 2020 as Artist in Residence to teach students the art of stage combat.
The play was written for young people in 2000 by Scottish playwright Sharman Macdonald, who is Keira Knightley’s mother, with Keira performing in the play as a young girl.
The plot reveals the tense truce held between the Capulets and the Montagues after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, is in love with Rosaline, Juliet's cousin; but Rosaline is bent on revenge!
Flinders Drama Teacher Ms Mel White said the script is a challenging piece for the students.
“It’s been fascinating for the students to have a different lens on the classic story of Romeo and Juliet, which they studied in English when they were younger,” Mel said.
“After Juliet has challenged students to question the characters’ motives, emotions and ethics, which encourages them to think critically, empathise and problem solve - all wonderful skills for learning and life.”
The play was specially commissioned by the Royal National Theatre for the BT National Connections Scheme for young people and has been performed by youth groups across the world.
Since 2020, Andy Fraser has visited to mentor Flinders Secondary students through the classroom curriculum and co-curricular opportunities – teaching about distance, body control, timing, balance and precision.
Students are fortunate to have Andy’s more than 20 years of fight direction expertise; Andy is Resident Artist at Black Swan State Theatre Company and has worked with Perth Theatre Company, Deckchair Theatre, Barking Gecko, Yirra Yaakin, WA Opera as well as numerous independent theatre, film and television production companies.
Andy says he’s been impressed with the students and the Flinders Creative Arts Program.
“I've noticed the students here in the Flinders Creative Arts program work really well with each other and concentrate on the work,” Andy says.
“I also love how as Director of the Creative Arts, Danny Parker and the staff team want to give students the best possible experience, and encourage them to have a voice, so that they feel part of the evolution of the performance.
“Students aren’t just told what to think and how to act. At Flinders, the students are invited to have ownership over their performance and the piece, and that’s important.”
The key characters in the play are performed by students acting across double-cast roles.
After Juliet
By Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Flinders Creative Arts Program - A Senior Play
Venue: Flinders Performance Centre in the Drama Theatre
Price: $25.00
Buy tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/CHTOK
Show times:
Monday 29 May - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday 30 May - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday 31 May - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Thursday, 1 June - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
