On Tuesday 2 March, our Year 9 Drama students attended the multiple Tony Award winning production, Fun Home, presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company.

For some students, this was their first experience attending a professional production, and it was a joy to see their excitement at such a prospect.

The fourth-row seats provided a clear view of the set design, directing choices, music and song, 60s and 70s costumes and the story itself, all of which was very impressive.

The demographically diverse audience were mesmerised by the depth, commitment and bravery from the actors who honestly explored the character journeys in Fun Home. It was easy to see why this performance won multiple Tony Awards.

Following the performance, the students were quite moved by the story, with many girls engaging in stimulating discussions, and others not yet able to put words to their feelings and experiences, as they were still feeling the emotional charge of Alison Bechdel’s journey.

The Year 9 students are required to become theatre critics themselves now, as they work towards a written analysis and evaluation of the performance as part of an assessment task. However, the overall outcome for the students attending theatre is a direct injection of the joy of live theatre itself – an ability to experience the world through the eyes of another, to understand what it really takes to create drama performances at a professional level, and to foster creative approaches inspired by the production into their own works.

A brief synopsis of the play: After wowing Broadway audiences and picking up multiple Best Musical awards, Fun Home has been staged to rapturous responses around the world. Based on Alison Bechdel’s bestselling graphic novel about growing up and coming out, this ground-breaking multi-Tony Award-winning musical arrives in Melbourne. Alison Bechdel is a cartoonist – it is her job to fit stories into boxes but her own life story sings outside the box. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing games in the family’s funeral home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires. A refreshingly honest, wholly original show about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.

In conclusion the students’ comments and reflections speak for themselves:

“I really enjoyed the show. I thought that the use of set and lighting was insane. There were really funny scenes and also really impacting scenes, and the use of lighting and song really helped convey these moods. I loved the different characters and how they provided comic relief in so many ways. Overall, this was a really great show that managed to remain comical, whilst also discussing serious topics.”

“The show was amazing and exceeded my expectations. The way they had everything fit and work was amazing. From the costumes suiting the year the memories were set, to the stage pieces and how they used one set throughout the musical. It was an amazing experience!”

“I thought Fun Home expressed what people go through in real life. It expressed this through dialogue, dance and song.”

“It was fun and inspirational, to get an aspect of other people’s lives and what it’s like.”

“I really loved the singing and dancing. I thought the acting was amazing”

“It was a very progressive and moving show. I enjoyed how well they portrayed the storyline.”

“Fun Home was a great play which properly outlined each character. The plot was really clear. I liked how this musical showed the three Alisons, (small Alison, medium Alison and older Alison.)”

“I really enjoyed Fun Home because my very close family friend is gay and it reminded me of him. I felt like I was in his brain a little bit with his thought process. It was a great show overall and I believe it is important for everyone to see this play.”

“I thought Fun Home was a gripping, unique experience and an overall compelling performance. The views and perceptions of different people’s lives was so interesting and I loved the musical for this main reason.”

“I thought that Fun Home was an emotional and realistic play. It could touch everyone in the audience. I also thought the expression and gestures in the play worked well with the dialogue. Overall, I thought this play was well written and acted.”