Peanuts, Independent Play

This year’s Independent Play, Peanuts, was performed in the EM Forster Studio between 17-19 March by Second and Third Year boys alongside cast members from Hillview School for Girls.

Written by Italian playwright, Fausto Paravidino, the play is influenced by the violent 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa – particularly the killing of activist Carlo Giuliani. Aimed at young audiences, the play draws from the universal cultural language of Peanuts. It skilfully uses the innocence of youth, in the context of house-sitting, to highlight the issues of globalisation. This contrasts with the harder-hitting second half which provided a more literal portrayal of police brutality inflicted on climate activists.

Music, costumes, lighting and images projected onto the studio curtains were used to full effect by Head of French and show director, Jean-Patrick Vieu, assisted by Head of Spanish, Mar Ponce Galán, to build intensity and capture the audience’s attention over a series of twenty-three scenes. Comedy, political satire and dystopia were seamlessly blended over a series of short scenes delivered in quick succession to hold up an unflattering mirror to modern society.

Independent plays extend the opportunities for both staff and students across the School by enabling broader members of the academic staff to select and direct plays, with the expert help and guidance of our Drama department. In doing so, this gives pupils additional opportunities to perform. Jean-Patrick praised cast members for the way they approached this piece, saying, “I’ve been impressed with how the cast have managed to tackle both the comedy and the harsh violence of the second half, and they have been fearless about it. All have developed as both actors and in coming together as a group.”