NCL Students Experience ‘A Terrific Piece of Theatre’ at the Curve Theatre Leicester

Students from Years 7 and 8 recently benefitted from the opportunity to experience live theatre when they visited the Curve Theatre, Leicester to watch a superb performance of ‘The Book Thief.’ Originally a book by Markus Zusak, the story has been adapted to make a powerful piece of musical theatre. 

The visit was the first time some students had been to the theatre, and they were treated to a very memorable night out.  The play supported key issues which are addressed through our curriculum. Set in Nazi Germany during World War 2, ‘The Book Thief’ presented a very powerful portrayal of the impact of racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, propaganda and the horror of war.  Liesel, the 12 year-old main character, caused us all to reflect on the power of words and how they can bring joy and also the hate they can spread. 

The parallels with what is happening in the world today as ‘fake news’ and hateful words inform opinions and masquerade as ‘fact,’ made ‘The Book Thief’ all the more compelling. Just as Liesel sought education and books to sustain her, we hope that our students develop the skills and understanding to challenge bigotry and discrimination they too often witness and experience in their own lives. Perhaps, like Liesel, they will also discover the power of books and words as a source of comfort in difficult times. 

English teacher Hala Adadir who organised the visit comments,

“Our students were a pleasure to be with and handled some challenging content really well. This was the first time many of our students had visited the theatre to see a live production and I’m sure the experience made a big impression.”

Thank-you to Miss Abadir for organising this wonderful opportunity and to our students whose behaviour throughout was impeccable.