Shakespeare performance and workshop

PUBLISHED 16 March 2023

A mid-March day brought an AKS visit for Sky Blue Theatre Company, with their intention being to shape and share pupil-filled performances of Shakespeare’s Macbeth (with Year 9) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (with Year 8). The two-hour workshops heard numerous pupil voices speaking Shakespeare’s original verse in character – complete with costumes - an exploration of contrasting ways to stage a scene from a director’s point of view, and why inappropriate or left-field choices when directing might actually yield surprisingly entertaining or illuminating outcomes.

The three actors joining us for the day were in fine form and first gave polished and engaging portrayals of a manic Macbeth, his manipulative wife, and the three mysterious witches who open the action of the Scottish play. Later, they switched the mood and put on a lovesick Helena and defiant Demetrius, as they appear in Act II of Shakespeare’s early comedy.

For the AKS student actors who volunteered to play roles onstage, glimpses of star quality were detected by our visitors - they awarded ‘Performer of the Day’ certificates to Ellie T in Year 9 and Tom K in Year 8.

Hopefully, this event will prove worthwhile as these two year groups complete their study of Shakespeare over the next few weeks, ahead of final assessment work on their respective text.

Mr J Bridges