On January 23rd, we, Mr. Müller’s English LK class, went to the BKA Theatre for the second time. This time, we saw the play Safestay Hostel. When we arrived, the theatre was completely full.

In our previous classes, the US election and their overall situation played a big role, in connection with our current topic – equality. This is also why we were interested in this particular play.

The play took place in 2026 in London. A government with autocratic tendencies is in power. New laws affecting taxes and immigration have been passed in parliament. A young woman who grew up in Great Britain but possesses a German passport, a Brazilian activist, and an Australian influencer meet in the Safestay Hostel. The new laws are making life difficult for the Finnish owner and the guests. Should they obey the law or take action against it? The Brazilian woman wants to take to the streets and demonstrate, the young woman who grew up in Great Britain is afraid, the influencer is undecided, and the Finnish owner wants to avoid trouble in her hostel at all costs. The repressive government is threatening the foundations of democracy and in banning the demonstration is violating the right of free speech.

At first, it was hard to understand its message, but towards the end, it became clear, and everything made sense. It was meant to emphasize their political standings and showed their personal development. Every actor did a great job, which made it fun to watch. Furthermore, the language was easy to understand, so it was easy to follow. Afterwards, the audience, director and actors met for exchanging in a discussion in which the personal concerns of the participants were once again strongly expressed.

The next day, we talked about our opinions on the play in class. In general, we all agreed that the play was very convincing and full of passion. The interactive parts, like little stand-up games, helped us to stay attentive and made it easier to feel more involved and to really understand the characters’ emotions. Furthermore, the little details, such as tweets popping up in the background or filming scenes live with a camera, underlined how much work was put into the organisation. Our favourite effect was the constant change of their costumes, which got more colorful over time.

Overall, the play fit well into our current topics, delivered a clear message, and made us acknowledge our privileges.

LK Englisch Müller