By Mackenzie Wills
Year 12

On Wednesday 1 June, the Year 12 Drama class performed the play ‘The Trial’ by Ben Hales (adapted from Kafka’s novel of the same name) for their AS2.6 performance achievement standard. 

Josef K gets arrested one morning without having done anything wrong. The play follows the character as he tries to figure out why he has been arrested. He finds no answers and is executed by the government, still with no idea of what he has done wrong. The role of Josef was played by Erina Brown of 12HMG, who sustained Josef’s befuddlement and righteousness across a number of demanding scenes.

The play highlights the flaws in the justice system through a chorus of clerks. Representing the mindless masses who acquiesce to the pressures of a cold and sinister government, the clerks move and speak in unison, singing “they tell me when they tell me how I never question why, I believe what I hear I trust what I read why would our leaders lie”.

The cast was very disciplined and had to switch rapidly and smoothly between roles, performing as both clerks and other named roles, including Surveillance Officers, a flirty mistress, and a corrupt warder. Students worked on the play for six weeks, learning lines, taking direction and negotiating around Covid-related absences and the various demands of working in a group.

It was a great learning experience and the students were pleased to be able to perform in front of an audience of friends and family again after being held back by many restrictions due to Covid-19.