A GROUP of Year 12 students took to the stage on Saturday night to perform a chronicle of the refugee experience with the production Beautiful Words.

The drama, written by Adelaide teacher Sean Riley, was performed locally by Xavier College students, along with three students each on film, sound/music, and lighting. The group performance will form part of their SACE assessment for the drama subject, and has been accompanied with in-depth portfolios of lead-up work.

Drama teacher Taryn Stevens said the students were big fans of the comedy genre but had done extremely well with the more serious themes in Beautiful Words.

The production weaves together stories of survival told through the eyes of three children in different times and places, including the horrors of Auschwitz concentration camp in the final days of World War II, Taliban-ruled Kabul, and present-day Australia.

“They’ve said to me they can’t believe how relevant the script was for today,” Ms Stevens said.

“They are taking it on board and really understanding of the social impact things have and how they are in a powerful position to tell a story that means something to a lot of people.

“They are conveying that really respectfully and with a really good ethic.”

The students had their dress rehearsal on Friday before performing to an audience of about 150 family and friends on Saturday evening.