Year 8 Pupils Exemplify Exceptional Conduct on Theatre Trip to Watch Murder on the Orient Express
8th November 24
On 7th November, Year 8 pupils from Dunottar School attended a performance of Murder on the Orient Express at Richmond Theatre.
Not only was the excellent production just the ticket, but the behaviour of the year group was a runaway success.
The trip, organised by Mrs Ballantyne, was designed to introduce pupils to elements of the Gothic genre in preparation for their studies next year. Mrs Ballantyne explained: “The aim was to give pupils a flavour of Gothic themes, as they will be exploring the genre in depth.”
Following the performance, members of the public commended the pupils for their exemplary behaviour. Mrs Cullender, PA to SLT, recounted one such moment: “While waiting for two of our students after the show, a gentleman approached me, curious about which school we were from. He remarked on how respectful and well-behaved the pupils were.”
Mrs Cullender, who also has children at Dunottar, shared additional feedback from an American couple who had approached a colleague, stating: “They were impressed with the school’s ability to balance maintaining the pupils’ behaviour while allowing them the freedom to enjoy the experience”.
The play, Murder on the Orient Express, brought Agatha Christie’s iconic detective, Hercule Poirot, to life in a thrilling whodunit filled with suspense, moral ambiguity, and rich characterisation. The Gothic elements, from the mysterious and confined setting of the train to the exploration of justice and guilt, offered Dunottar’s Year 8 pupils a captivating introduction to Gothic themes in literature.
