Cobram Anglican Grammar School students are going medieval.
Well, at least for a couple nights, as they perform their 2023 play Game of Tiaras, which will be shown on June 21 and 22 at the Cobram Civic Centre.
Based on Shakespeare’s play King Lear, in which the old king divides his power and land between two of his daughters, project co-ordinator Rhiannon Dixon said the CAGS play would be less of a tragedy and more of a comedy akin to a darker and more twisted version of Shrek.
“It sort of pokes fun at the original fairy tales, and it's a bit of a sort of pantomime, over-the-top dramatic,” she said.
The show has an 18-strong cast made up of students from Year 7 to 11 and according to Ms Dixon the students were instrumental in helping shape their own characters.
“It’s not just me directing ... they (the students) have had a lot of fun experimenting and putting their own spin on the characters. Their contributions have been really good,” she said.
Though undoubtedly fun, the play has a serious element to it, as students grow and build various social skills and disciplines including confidence, public speaking and team building while getting out of their comfort zone.
Ms Dixon said all these skills would help the students later in life as they applied for jobs and made their way through post-secondary education life.
Year 10 student Abigail Brooker, who will be narrating the play, agreed, saying she had grown as a person, and that though challenging, the experience had been enjoyable.
“It's a lot of fun and there’s like a lot of new things to learn,” Abigail said.
“It's definitely helped me express myself and better my English, as well as helping me prepare for my VCE.”
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and $25 for family (two adults, two children) and can be bought at the school’s front office or on the night.