What is Verbatim Theatre?

Verbatim Theatre produces works in which the narratives are derived from real life, real people, real stories. These stories are usually documented via interviews, close observations, or workshops with whom the directors or producers wish to portray. Verbatim, in its truest essence, means following word-for-word in one's representation of people's words in the performance. In the end, it is always about honouring the real and lived experiences of the people and conveying their stories authentically. 

Topics covered using Verbatim Theatre are usually inclined towards social and political topics that are close to the heart and hold great meaning to a particular community. 

Sharing stories to develop our understanding and empathy is something that is central to our mission at UWCSEA. As such, for the first time in the UWC East Drama Department's history, we have created our first ever piece of Verbatim Theatre. Through interviewing and capturing the stories of our diverse scholar population, we've been able to glean an insight into their lives both before UWC and joining our community. The moving and emotive stories have been shaped into powerful performances by our Verbatim Ensemble, directed by Lexie and Helena.

​​This has been the first year we have undertaken a Verbatim Theatre project at UWCSEA, and I have felt incredibly lucky to be part of this process. While I have been fortunate enough to direct a few Verbatim Productions in my time, this is the first opportunity I've had to be part of a project since its inception. Sharing stories to develop our understanding and empathy, is something that is central to our mission at UWCSEA. As such, for the first time in the UWC East Drama Department's history, we have created our first ever piece of Verbatim Theatre.

Two Grade 11 students, Helena and Lexie, have been instrumental in this process. When I first approached them about the idea of a Verbatim production in March 2022, both of them were excited about the possibilities of the project and how we could work with members of our community to share their stories and have worked with our ensemble of actors to create and direct this production.

During our early sessions, the cast and directors worked with Dr Sarah Peters from Flinders University to develop their understanding of the style, how to build relationships with community members, developing interview questions around a chosen topic, the ethics of performing the stories of others, as well as how to turn a transcript from an interview into performance material.

The students then interviewed a range of our scholars from East Campus about their lives both before UWC and after joining our community, before working with these interviews to create what you are seeing here today. The words being spoken by the actors are the exact words of our scholars.

The title Home resonates strongly with the ideas of connection and belonging and I think that that is what is at the heart of this performance. Not only does the performance explore these important ideas, but as a school of international students, these concepts resonate strongly with each and every one of us and emphasises how important community and connection is for all.

I'd like to thank Anna Parr, the Head of Drama, for supporting this ambitious process from the outset as well as Marcel Campbell, the Head of Boarding, for helping our theatre makers reach out to our East Scholars. I’d also like to thank the scholars for being involved, and for allowing us to use their words (and some faces) in performance.

Lastly, I'd like to recognise the work of Nadiah Yusof, Ong Shi Han, Manuel Garrido Friere, Allister Towndrow and Theresa Chan in making this production happen - theatre relies on community and without them, we'd be lost.

The journey of all the students involved has been impressive; this is a challenging, but intensely personal and rewarding theatrical form which has been led courageously and enthusiastically from the start by Lexie and Helena. My sincere gratitude to these two incredible young people.

Anthony Kelly

Dear Parents,

You may recall that we started this school year with a focus on belonging and in particular the ways that we create, and sustain a sense of belonging for all in the community. This has been a focus across the school, in different ways since August.

I was fortunate to be in the audience of 'Home', a High School production, this week. I was reminded of the importance of personal stories to help build belonging and empathy in a community. Home was written, directed and performed by students in the style of verbatim theatre (which was new to me). It is a form of documentary theatre based on the spoken words of real people – in this case the words of our scholars.

Hearing, seeing and feeling the stories of those within our community helps connect us to each other as we begin to see both the universality and uniqueness of the experiences of our diverse community. It documented the journey of some of our scholars as they leave home and find a new home, an experience familiar to so many of us. Home made so clear the hopes and excitement that comes with beginning a new experience, and the difficulties, joys, frustrations and friendships that play out as a dream becomes reality. It reminded us all to take the time to learn about, and from, each other. To our scholars, thank you for sharing your stories. 

My thanks to all involved in bringing their stories to life on stage – it is through sharing, listening and understanding that our community grows. This provides the opportunity to be seen and heard, for us to become more empathic, and enables that sense of belonging so important in a large community.

Cathy Jones

Head of UWCSEA East

Special thanks to Anthony Kelly,

                                           Dr Sarah Peters from Flinders University, 

Marcel Campbell,

                               UWCSEA East Drama Department, 

                                                       UWCSEA East Facilities Department & Security, 

                                                  UWCSEA East Communications Department, 

                                                                Tsahai Koo, Amber Tilling-Richards, Wangdrak Dorji, 

                                                        Patricia Segeja, Victor Mwine, Santiago Urgiles, 

                                                            Nayeli Naranjo Toapanta, Tadala Lutricia Kwalapu, 

                                                                June Phobchanat, Stanislava Dinkova, Carlos Lopez, 

                                      Mwendwa Leshoai, Nayely Tecu Lopez

From having Zoom meetings with Dr Sarah Peters to learn more about Verbatim Theatre and how to conduct interviews with the people whose lives they wished to portray....

to actually interviewing our scholars from UWCSEA East and hearing their stories to brainstorming the flow of the script and writing it all down to rehearse in the Drama Studio.....

to rehearsing and blocking the stage movements in the Black Box with the set and props.....

to performing in front of the Scholars' Community on 16th January 2023 for their Opening Night and to putting up another two successful performances on 17th and 18th January 2023 for the public to enjoy....

Have a glimpse of how these students brought forth the lived experiences of our scholars by looking at the Full Dress Rehearsal Photos below!