ACJC COE Retrospective 2018

As the West Zone Centre of Excellence for Language Arts, ACJC is delighted to have had an exciting programme of activities in 2018. The highlights of the year included ground breaking digital initia-tives such as the humanities magazine Unwrap being designed and launched for all schools as well as live performances and debate and public speaking activities. ACJC was delighted to have with us varied audiences and participants who were engaged and passionate about the plethora of events hosted by ACJC.

Theatre and Performance

The year began with laughter. Barrel of Laughs V3.0—a fourth-wall breaking, meta play about a drama society was staged by ACSian theatre and alumni. Full of shenanigans and Farcical irreverent humour, the play was loved by audiences of all ages.

In April, ACSian theatre staged a breathtaking adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Thought by many to be Shakespeare’s opus, this adaptation by ACSian theatre managed to make the play more accessible to viewers, filling the stage with fierce dances and even hilarious slapstick. The Tempest was one of the year’s highlights, with delightful sequences and mischief hanging about every scene. The audience from across different secondary schools and junior colleges was enthralled by the experience.

Then there was a change of pace and a brand new JC one cast took to the stage with “Bang Bang! You’re…” about a school shooting. With theatre, it is important to tackle contemporary issues so as to raise awareness about topics that are still relevant in today’s world. A Q&A was held after the play to let the audience ask about the intentions of school shooters. The play was a biting commentary about gun culture and teenage angst, performed with precise choreography and fiery dialogue.

At the end of the year, an adaptation of the original French fairy tale “Beauty & The Beast” was staged by the J1s. The aesthetic of the play seemed to evoke a certain eeriness that most great children’s stories have, with a unsettling yet mellow mood filling every sequence and dance. This production showed ACSian theatre’s penchant for subtle acting and restraint. This experience not only brought the cast and the audience together in through a shared love of storytelling.

Public Speaking and Debating
The ACJC COE was also abuzz with several competitions and workshops that allowed students from the West Zone and from else where on the island to refine their skills in public speaking and debating. ACJC Orators saw young public speakers vying for the opportunity to persuasively command an audience while at Oldham Cup, international and local schools competed against each other to be the overall champion.

Participation at these events was at a all time high. The college’s Junior Lexis Programme was equally successfully conducted with older debaters role-modelling good speech values for their primary school juniors. The ACJC Speech Arts Festival was also enthusiasti-cally supported by our participants and audience and this unique event focused on comic extempore speaking and comic acting in monologues and duologues.