Middle School Production of 'The Sea' by Edward Bond - 7th and 8th February 2006

These photos were taken at the dress rehearsal on Sunday 5th Feb by Martin Hugall. Charlotte stood in for Gaby who was ill.

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.

Edward Bond is one of the most respected playwrights living today. His work and plays aimed at young people have redefined ‘Theatre in Education’. The Sea is one of Bond’s earliest plays, having been written in the 1970s.

The play – sadly - still has huge relevance today. Evens’s speech about living in a time where people will fill the world with ‘bombs and germs and gas’ is regrettably something we see every day. The main themes about class struggle, aggression and mutual respect of religion and self appear to be more prominent than ever before.

Bond insisted that ‘The Sea’ be seen as a comedy; this enables the issues to be placed under the microscope and perhaps helps us see the vulgarity of situations we often accept as the norm.

The play finishes half way through one of Willy’s lines ‘I came to say goodbye and I am glad you….’ The story is thrown to the audience - they themselves have to decide Willy's fate. One we hope offers happiness and freedom. With ‘The Sea’ set in 1907, the spectre of the First World War looms and with Willy being a young man, it would seem more than likely that he would see active service.

Bond believes that young people have the ability to reshape the world. The plays in which they act and the plays they create can establish the blueprint for this. Hopefully they can see an ending where Willy and Rose walk into a sunset, where this play no longer has any relevance.

Richard Smith 2006

Many thanks to all those involved and especially to Richard Smith who produced and directed the play.