On 31st January, all twelfth-grade-students of our school had the chance to visit the theatre in Erfurt as part of their English lessons and attended a performance of one of William Shakespeare’s most important plays – Hamlet.
In fact, there was some concern among the students beforehand about whether we would succeed in understanding old “Shakespeare English”. Admittedly, it was quite challenging to get every single word, but why does that have to be so important?
Our experience in the theatre was incredible. It was not difficult to follow the main plot, because the actors led us through it so well and impressively, that we were fascinated. Considering the fact that they were only a small group and worked with few props, our impression of this performance was very positive.
Interestingly, the director of the play appeared in front of the audience before the play and told us that the same actor who was to play Claudius in the following performance had played Hamlet many years before.
This long tradition demonstrates the passion and willingness with which the actors play their roles. All in all, it was a great day – simply unforgettable.
Text-Author: Joris Patzer, 12th grade