On Thursday the 14th of March Croydon High senior school French students were treated to a production of ‘La Salle des Énigmes’ by the travelling theatre company Onatti Productions.

Onatti Productions ltd describes ‘La Salle des Énigmes’ as: ‘A fantastic new play written to complement French language learning at secondary level.’ It was undeniably brilliant - offering a great opportunity to immerse us in French language at a level which was accessible for all. It was entertaining but also educational, allowing us to grasp french pronunciation easier. Sophie Gurl, a student who also witnessed the performance, said: “It was really interesting, the plot was very original, it was interactive and easy to follow.”

‘La Salle des Énigmes’ features two characters - Jérémy and Marie, played by native French speakers - who are locked in an escape room for one hour. They have to solve the clues to escape! There was much audience participation, with some students even having the opportunity to take to the stage and help solve the clues; this in itself made the production much more memorable for all. It truly was an incredible experience and I would love to watch the play, or a similar one, again.

‘La Salle des Énigmes’ is currently on tour throughout England and Ireland and is aimed at students of ages 13-16 years. Onatti Productions also exhibit foreign language plays in other countries, with a range of productions on tour in varying European countries at any one time - the productions are not just in French but also in German, English and Spanish as well.