On March 20, 2026, the two English K2 Leistungskurse went to see the theatre production “On the Move” in Stuttgart together with their teachers, Ms Merkle and Ms Steinbach.
Staged by the American Drama Group Europe, the production is based on the short story collection On the Move: Migration and Cross-Cultural Encounters, which is part of the English Abitur syllabus in Baden-Württemberg from 2025 onwards. The performance consisted of five short stories: “Exterior Paint”, “The Thing Around Your Neck”, “The Soldier’s Tale”, “Loose Change”, and “Green”. After the first two stories, there was a short break, followed by the remaining three.
The stories deal with migration and different stages of the migration process in a very immediate and moving way. They explore themes such as hope and despair, isolation and new beginnings, as well as intercultural encounters and the challenges of identity in a new cultural environment.
On stage, the actors worked with only a few props, using them very creatively and effectively. We especially appreciated the different accents, which suited the individual stories well and added authenticity to the performance. Overall, the acting was convincing, and the selection of stories was well chosen.
However, some of us felt that the show was a bit too long, as five stories in one production was quite a lot. In addition, a few scenes were portrayed in a rather light-hearted way, even though the original stories deal with more serious themes.
Nevertheless, the visit was an interesting and valuable experience that helped us better understand the short stories and the themes we study in class.
Text by Danijela (K2) and Ms Steinbach
