On Thursday, 9 April, almost the entire upper secondary section of our school – all 6th to 8th forms as well as the 5A language class – attended the afternoon student matinee of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Vienna English Theatre. The outing offered our students the chance to experience English in a lively and entertaining setting beyond the classroom.
The play, written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, is anything but a conventional introduction to Shakespeare. In a fast-paced and highly comic performance, the actors race through Shakespeare’s plays, turning well-known tragedies, comedies and histories into a whirlwind of jokes, improvisation and audience interaction. The result was an energetic production that kept students and teachers laughing throughout.
What made the performance particularly enjoyable was its playful mixture of humour and literary reference. Even students who were not already familiar with all of Shakespeare’s works could appreciate the wit, the physical comedy and the creativity of the actors. At the same time, those with some background knowledge were able to recognise numerous allusions and clever exaggerations of famous scenes and characters.
Visits like this are a valuable reminder that language learning is not limited to textbooks and classrooms. Watching a live performance in English allows students to experience the language as something vibrant, spontaneous and memorable. The trip to the Vienna English Theatre was therefore not only an entertaining afternoon, but also a cultural experience that brought literature and language to life in a very special way.
Mag. Ralph Neumayer
