Drama students from Thorns Collegiate Academy visited Birmingham Repertory Theatre (The Rep) to watch a live performance of Noughts & Crosses, the stage adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s novel.
The production, staged by Pilot Theatre in association with Northern Stage, follows Sephy, a Cross and daughter of a Deputy Prime Minister, and Callum, a Nought and son of an activist, as their friendship develops into a forbidden relationship within a racially segregated society. Often described as a modern Romeo and Juliet, the story explores themes of prejudice, power and political unrest as personal relationships collide with wider social division.
The visit supported students’ GCSE Drama studies, giving them the opportunity to see the text interpreted in performance. It enabled them to consider how staging, performance and design choices are used to communicate meaning, develop character and shape audience response.
School Principal, Nikki Jones, said: “This kind of trip gives students a clear reference point for what high-quality interpretation of a text looks like in practice. When they return to lessons, they are far more precise in the way they talk about character decisions, pace and dramatic effect, because they have seen those ideas realised on stage in a professional context.”
The Rep is a long-established theatre company based in Centenary Square and is one of the city’s leading producing theatres. The Rep stages its own work alongside touring productions and is a regular venue to school and community engagement.
The visit formed part of the Academy’s wider commitment to cultural enrichment and to extending learning beyond the classroom, and it looks forward to providing similar opportunities in the near future.