Semana Da Cultura Brasileira – AIDS Play

By L. Thompson

During week five, the Senior School had Semana Da Cultura Brasileira. This year’s theme was views on childhood and youth in Brazil. There were a lot of amazing activities going on – from book sales to themed food in the lunchroom!  
On Friday, the 6th September, during periods five and six, Forms 3, 4 and 5 watched a very enlightening play called “Depois Daquela Viagem” about a woman who ecame across AIDS. 
The play was about a teenager who acquired the virus from when she lost her virginity with her first boyfriend. It talked about the changes the main character, Valeria, faces when she is diagnosed with HIV. It explored different topics such as prejudice, misinformation, exclusion and discrimination. It was an opportunity to reflect on important and relevant themes, such as STDs, being a teenager in today’s world and having a disease. It showed how people who have diseases can also suffer from discrimination and prejudice. 
The play portrayed Valeria’s story very interestingly. There were three different actresses representing different stages of her life – her childhood, her teenage years and her adult life. I thought this approach was very creative and interesting, as it showed how she got into that situation and how she dealt with it. 
It was also quite intriguing how there were only about six actors and they all kept changing characters constantly. Due to the three different timelines and the same actors doing different roles, the play could’ve potentially been very confusing for the audience, but they managed to make the story very clear and guide us throughout the whole storyline. It was very well planned! 
Personally, I found the play entertaining yet enriching and informative. It was extremely though out and helped everyone reflect better on issues as the one presented to us that day! ​