The Power of Theatre

Available for 25 days

Good morning, Since childhood, I’ve enjoyed watching and being in plays. As one of six girls, we formed a small drama group at many of our family celebrations. My eldest sister is brilliant at writing and directing scripts from comedy to tragedy, pantomime to Nativity. I’ve been everything from Cleopatra to Hamlet, the back end of a donkey to a dying swan. Today is World Theatre Day, established in 1961 by the ‘International Theatre Institute’ as an annual global celebration. It promotes the art of theatre, its cultural significance, and its power to unite people across the world. While the origins of theatre go back to ancient Greece over 2,500 years ago, this form of art continues to develop and challenge us - as it narrates and observes the tiny details of our shared existence, and grapples with the grand themes of living and dying. Whether we go to the theatre or not, life with all its absurdities, contradictions and richness can sometimes feel like a soap opera - played out over a series of acts and scenes, entrances and exits. When the curtain closes, the clapping is done, we might ask ourselves – what part did we play? What was our role? Did we prefer the limelight, the interval or the wings? And if we were given just one more chance to act, what lines would we now want to say? I pray that in life, as in a play, we may work together, not outdoing one another, but collaborating - behind the scenes or centre stage. So that each of us will know and value our part in the rich drama of life. Amen.