Middle school students tackle bullying through theater

Juliette is a middle school student. Having become the scapegoat of a group of girls, she can’t cope with their daily bullying. This is the plot of the roughly 30-minute play, titled “Juliette in Peril,” which 6th and 7th graders from Mireille Choisy Middle School attended on Tuesday, March 17, at the Théâtre du Paradis in Gustavia. The play is performed by Eva Mifsud and André Raynaud, two actors from the Compagnie théâtrale du songe. Throughout the year, the two artists travel across France, performing for students to address the issue of school bullying. But Eva Mifsud and André Raynaud’s engagement goes beyond a “simple” performance. Before the show, students participate in theater exercises to prepare them for taking the stage. After performing “Juliette en péril,” the actors invite the middle school students to join them on stage to reenact key moments from the play, incorporating the students’ ideas and reflections. This interaction allows for observing the teenagers’ behavior and reactions, both on and off stage. Mireille Choisy’s students, moreover, did not hesitate to express, with enthusiasm and commitment, their feelings regarding the situations presented to them. The event, initiated by the school’s Documentation and Information Center thanks to funding available through the Pass Culture, was a resounding success with the students.
Following these interactions, as a conclusion, the trial of Juliette’s bullies is performed by the two actors, who outline the penalties faced by the bullies, even when they are minors.