The senior play, ‘A Monster Calls’, was performed for three nights at the Amey Theatre by Abingdon and St Helen and St Katharine students. Addressing the sensitive subject of terminal illness, the cast approached their performances with maturity and empathy. One audience member wrote “I was struck at how perfectly Peony captured the movements and behaviour of someone undergoing chemotherapy, and found it very moving to watch Alex’s portrayal of the all-consuming grief of a child. Peony really achieved every nuance of what it must be like with aplomb.” Another wrote: “I had to keep reminding myself that the actors are still ‘boys and girls’ and not yet adults as it was just superb and quite honestly unbelievable. They were amazing! It was so heart felt (I think I cried for the entire second half….) and I still found myself thinking about it days later.” Enormous congratulations must go to the talented cast for their outstanding performances and the highly professional backstage crew who made scene changes look easy. All proceeds raised went to Sobell House, an Oxfordshire charity offering specialist palliative care to those facing life threatening illness, death and bereavement.
