On Friday 2nd February, pupils in the Lower and Upper Sixth who are lucky enough to study English Literature A level visited Shakespeare’s “wooden O”: the Globe Theatre on the Southbank. Pupils were treated to a tour of the theatre by one of the theatre’s actors, who gave a fascinating insight into the theatre as a performance space (including how the wood of the stands breathes and reacts to the weather, impacting how the actors use their voice – who knew?!), and enjoyed spotting the trapdoor through which the Ghost enters and exits in Hamlet. They then had a lecture on Hamlet and King Lear in performance, looking at the Globe’s previous productions of both plays – some of which were quite strongly critiqued by the group! The day ended with group workshops on Hamlet and King Lear, in which pupils showcased their acting talents, learned how to interpret and perform soliloquies and considered power dynamics within the plays.
An inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable day! Thank you to Mr Maskell and Mr Hand for their expertise and guidance, and to all the pupils for being such excellent participants.
Ms S Routledge, Head of English