Students attend world premiere of The Prophetess by Jeff Ho

That evening, the students and teachers arrived separately at the Tarragon Theatre by car and subway, and all were energised by the buzzing crowd already in the theatre’s lobby. Our six students are either from AP English or the Senior Drama class, and were already intrigued by the play’s premise. In particular, the play’s claim to be inspired by and adapted from Shakespearean history plays sparked a lot of discussion.

 

However, it was the actual 90 minutes of the play that really got everyone bubbling with passion and excitement. Prophetess was a masterpiece with its intense emotions, interwoven comedic language and heartbreaking revelations, subtle symbolism and Shakespearean elegance. References to Shakespeare’s Henry VI (part 1, 2 and 3) and Richard III were sprinkled all over the story like stars in a galaxy. The actors gave their all, and everything from the costume design to lighting, props and sound were simply incredible.

 

After the show, a talkback with the actors and the artistic director gave the night a wholesome conclusion. They truly embodied the spirit of collaborative art, and every response was given with respect and genuine excitement shared between the audience and the cast. I got the great privilege to ask a question about the script and vocal health, and was delighted to discover that the playwright himself, Jeff Ho, was right there, sitting at the very back of the audience. Overall, it was a fantastic night of many delights, and surely one of the more memorable drama trips of all time. On behalf of all students, we would like to thank Ms. Bevacqua-Tirone for organizing this opportunity, and all the other teachers for accompanying us on this wonderful enrichment opportunity.