Chequered Flags - Post Performance Round Up

Chequered Flags to Chequered Futures, a verbatim play written by Mark Wheeller about three friends who ended up in a tragic road traffic collision. 
Why this Play and why now?

As many of you are aware we have lost three members of our Priory family to traffic collisions this academic year and this impacted many of the students and staff. Every year Priory puts on a performance that is educational, informative and thought-provoking - this year I felt we had do something that has affected us all. 

I like to think of Performing Arts not just as entertainment, but as a tool convey powerful messages, to educate and to provoke change. I feel that too many times we shy away from what needs to be said, too many times we shy away from what makes us uncomfortable and too many times we shy away from the harsh reality of life. Well, not in this school.  I am proud that we will face these things and allow our students to be a part of that. 

Change doesn’t just happen and unless we keep educating, change will never happen! The one thing that this play made us realise is that we are all responsible for change, regardless if we are driving or not. 

The students were honoured to meet Chris and Nicky Gilfoy; Chris who was a passenger in the car of the story. The students got to meet him before the performance and were able to ask him many questions. This really put the play into perspective and brought it into reality.

The students all came away with the same thoughts about how even though this happened 18 years ago that everyone in that car and their families still suffer the effects of what happened. Relationships have been lost, panic attacks still happen, nightmares about the accident still consume their sleep and the fear still holds them back in areas of their life. A moment in their life changed everything!

I want to thank everyone for supporting the students and staff with this play. It has been challenging, and the students should be so proud of themselves for portraying a real story with maturity. 

Post-Performance Round Up - CFCF