Unsere Leistungskurse Englisch hatten am 22.10. die Gelegenheit, den amerikanischen Grusel- und Kriminalautor Edgar Allan Poe einmal auf andere Weise kennenzulernen. Gemeinsam besuchten wir ein englisches Gastspiel in den Landesbühnen Sachsen, das Poes Leben und seine Werke auf der Bühne kombinierte. Unsere Schülerin Mariella Greiner hat das Theatererlebnis in einer gelungenen Rezension zusammengefasst:

“Edgar Allan Poe” – A Captivating Journey into Darkness

Two weeks ago I attended the English theatre performance Edgar Allan Poe in Radebeul, and it turned out to be a fascinating and haunting experience. I had already read a short Story of Edgar Ellen Poe before, so I was very curious to see how his mysterious and gloomy world would be brought to life on stage.

From the very beginning, the atmosphere was intense. The stage design was minimalistic but extremely effective: dim lighting, eerie sound effects and what appeared to be a coffin created a feeling of suspense and fear. The music and technical elements supported the dark mood perfectly and helped to build tension throughout the play. The main actors who portrayed Poe were simply outstanding. They managed to express the writer’s inner conflict between genius and madness in a convincing and emotional way. His monologues were powerful and at times almost frightening. The supporting cast also performed very well, switching between different characters from Poe’s stories and life with impressive versatility. The play combined several of Poe’s most famous works, such as The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Black Cat. I really liked how the scenes were connected through Poe’s own thoughts and memories. At some point, Poe’s life and his stories became one, which might have confused a part of the audience. Still, this didn’t ruin the overall impact of the performance for me.

To sum it up, Edgar Allan Poe in Radebeul was an impressive and thought-provoking theatre experience. It captured the essence of Poe’s dark imagination and offered both entertainment and insight into his disturbed yet brilliant mind. I would recommend this play to anyone who enjoys gothic literature, psychological drama, or simply wants to experience an excellent English performance. It is not a light-hearted story, but if you love mysterious and haunting tales, you will absolutely enjoy it.