On Stage and Beyond: Grade 12 Brings “Class Enemy” to the Stage

What happens when students do not only analyse literature, but embody it?

At Berlin Cosmopolitan School, the Grade 12 Abitur cohort demonstrated just how vivid learning can be in their drama course with an intense production of Class Enemy by Nigel Williams. The performance in the auditorium was far more than an exam assignment: it became a powerful exploration of identity, power, and the challenges of growing up.

The play tells the story of a group of young people waiting in their classroom for their new teacher — the “class enemy.” Out of boredom comes escalation, and provocation turns into an unflinching look at fear, frustration, and longing.

At the same time, the production raises a central question that the students had to engage with deeply: What happens within a class community when the teacher — and therefore the external order — suddenly disappears and the group is left to itself?

This situation leads directly into fundamental human and social themes: fear, frustration, guilt, and power. How do structures emerge in a group that is no longer guided? What dynamics unfold when responsibility is shared, avoided, or denied? And what solutions are possible — or perhaps not possible at all?

The students brought these complex questions to life and made several central themes tangible:

• power and powerlessness
• belonging and exclusion
• the inner world of young people between pressure and self-discovery

Under the guidance of their teacher Maxi Geithner, the class rehearsed once a week. This ongoing process required discipline, teamwork, and courage — and showed just how deeply the students committed to their roles.

At BCS, drama means engaging with characters, shifting perspectives, and developing one’s own expressive voice.

On stage, the following students impressed the audience:

Julieta Caballero Möller, Elisa Grosse, Cornelius Harloff, Keira-Loren Heineck, Timon Krössin, Emilia Langhoff, Julius Tillmann, Rania Weller, Wanda Winkhaus

With great presence and authenticity, they succeeded in making the complexity of the characters visible and drawing the audience into the performance.

At BCS, theatre is part of a holistic approach to education. It strengthens:

• empathy and perspective-taking
• self-confidence and expressive ability
• critical thinking in dealing with social issues

A play like Class Enemy in particular challenges students to engage with conflict, reflect on responsibility, and question their own scope for action.

This production was not only a highlight for the graduating class, but also an impressive example of how art can deepen and expand education.

It shows that when students are given a stage, more than theatre emerges — a space for insight, dialogue, and personal growth.

At Berlin Cosmopolitan School, this is exactly the kind of space we aim to create.