On Friday, June 12, the Grade 11 students attended an arts appreciation event, seeing the stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Many of the students were watching a play for the first time, and they were thoroughly drawn in by the powerful staging that only live theatre can offer and by the dreamlike recreation of the wizarding world. The many feats of magic unfolding before their eyes drew gasps of amazement, and as the story progressed the whole hall was swept up in emotion.

After the performance, comments such as “It was as if I were really watching magic,” “The three and a half hours flew by,” and “I want to go and see another play” could be heard, and some students were so moved that they were in tears.

Experiencing full-scale theatrical art of a kind rarely encountered in everyday school life made this a valuable learning opportunity for the students.

Through this arts appreciation event, the students came to feel anew the wonder of artistic expression and the power of a story to move the human heart. It was a rewarding day that nurtured their sensitivity.