Prevention Theatre 2018

Right from the beginning, the two actors Christine Wagner and Daniel Zimpel from the ue-Theater Regensburg succeed in breaking the ice with the gathered fifth-grade students. In a cheerful and conversational tone, they establish rules for watching the play, making the audience laugh even before the actual performance starts—despite the serious topic. To help focus the concentration of the young viewers, they are divided into two groups. One side is instructed to pay close attention to the behavior and emotions of the victim, Marko, while the other side focuses on Tine, the ringleader of the bullying group.

During the two-person play—where the actors skillfully take on various other roles—the audience is repeatedly involved by being asked for their assessment of the events on stage. The many responses during these interactive moments show just how deeply the young audience is affected by the performance. Some scenes even manage to make the audience laugh, such as when the school principal repeatedly assures Marko’s mother, in the same monotonous tone, that the school climate is excellent, the teachers highly motivated, and that all the children love going to school.

It is particularly the heartfelt conversation between the actors and their young audience after the play that reveals how much the topic and its presentation have touched the hearts of the fifth-graders. The fact that the actress herself was bullied as a child leaves a strong impression on the students, prompting many questions. Even after the official discussion ends, numerous students continue to approach the actors and talk to them. This is a clear sign that this bullying prevention theatre piece has reached its intended audience.