Bullying — it’s in our DNA
People like to believe they would do the right thing at the right time – but what if the choice they make turns out to be the wrong thing?
Next week, Hawke’s Bay Youth Theatre (HaBYT) presents the New Zealand premiere of Dennis Kelly’s DNA, a thought provoking, yet occasionally hilarious breakdown of the consequences of a group of teenagers whose bullying gets out of control.
DNA is an English text included in the UK’s GCSE examinations and is studied by more than 400,000 students aged between 14 and 16 each year.
“It really delves into people’s reactions, being put in situations where we have to work out the best thing to do. We all like to think we would react in a positive way, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we would,” says HaBYT director Andy Brigden.
Besides the interesting subject matter, the play is also structured in an interesting way, with the 11 cast members, who are aged 15 to 17, working for the most part in pairs. One pair finish each other’s sentences, while another says virtually nothing as his offsider goes off on long ranting monologues.
“I place a lot of emphasis on them finding their own way into the pieces. It’s a learning opportunity so rather than telling them, as a director, exactly what to do, I like them to explore.”
In other projects coming up this year, HaBYT members are devising a piece inspired by the Forerunners exhibition at MTG Hawke’s Bay. They hope to enter it in the Hawke’s Bay TheatreFest.
At Labour Weekend, HaBYT members plan to take part in the global phenomenon Thrill the World, a mass re-enactment of the Thriller dance by “zombies”. ■ DNA, 7.30pm, June 19-21, Nelson Theatre, Keirunga Gardens, Havelock North. Tickets $22 adults, $12 students, from the Hastings Community Arts Centre & HBS Bank, Havelock North.