Y12 English students enjoyed an enriching and immersive experience during the department’s annual Shakespeare trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.
The trip began with a visit to ‘The Play’s the Thing’, an interactive exhibition at the Swan Theatre, before being treated to a rare production of Titus Andronicus starring Sir Simon Russell Beale. The play was an effective balance of the revenge tragedy’s typical gore and violence with more humorous modern elements, and a fantastic introduction to the genre for the students.
The following day the group attended a lecture on the set texts available to be studied in Y13 (Antony and Cleopatra and Hamlet) at the Birthplace Trust, where the students learned about the historical and social contexts in which these plays were written, followed by trips to both Shakespeare’s Birthplace and The New Place.
At both sites students enjoyed a range of fun activities and mini-lectures running as part of the Birthday Celebrations. A particular highlight was Kirabo, Chloe and Lora (wall, lion and moonshine, respectively) being invited to join the actors at Events from History in an outdoor performance of a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Teacher of English, KS5 and Debating Co-ordinator, Miranda Solley said: “This was a thoroughly enjoyable trip with some fantastic learning opportunities for all the students. Seeing at first-hand the birthplace of Shakespeare, visiting the exhibition, and being lucky enough to see Simon Russell Beale perform was a powerful way to bring our A-level texts to life. The opportunity for Kirabo, Chloe and Lora to perform a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Events from History actors was the icing on the cake.”
