Reading ‘Noughts and Crosses’ in our English lessons was an enjoyable and enriching experience. The storyline and plot is carefully crafted in such a way that the readers themselves are almost impacted by the situations in the novel. In our lessons, we learned all about racial segregation and the injustices many people face.

On Thursday 9th February, year 8 students were given the opportunity to go to the Rose Theatre in Kingston to watch a play version of ‘Noughts and Crosses’. The play was a useful insight into the world of performance and it was made beautifully. The show was really great and engaging; we liked that it wasn’t completely the same as the book and that it had many differences which positively contributed to the performance. Their way of depicting key events was intriguing, such as having the news projected behind them on the backdrop of the stage. This made it easier to connect with the actors. We loved the dual narrative of the play, with Callum and Sephy acting as joint narrators at parts, which really propelled the storyline forward. There were also many hints and references to the novel, which we enjoyed spotting!

We loved that the visit to see ‘Noughts and Crosses’:

• Allowed us to spend times with friends who we may not normally see during the day because they are in different classes

• Opened a door that helped to expand our creativity in story writing

• Gave the opportunity to visit a theatre, something which many people may not have the opportunity to do.

Overall, ‘Noughts and Crosses’ is a great novel to read and an amazing play to watch because it is breathtaking, emotional, sensitive, and heart-warming (or heart-breaking!). We would highly recommend this book for anyone above the age of 10.

Our rating is a solid 9.75/10. Would watch again!