Wanstead High School were very excited to be heading up to Shakespeare’s Globe in March for the second year running with all 247 of our year 9 students to attend a memorable production of Macbeth.
The wonderful production was produced for teenagers by Globe Education and thanks to the funding of the project by Deutsche Bank, the support of the Globe, and the Transport for London free tickets for school parties scheme, we were able to offer this opportunity to students for free. When asking students for feedback the first comment was that, ‘It was great that it was free because it gave everyone in the whole year the opportunity to go.’
Others pointed out their personal highlights from the performance, one suggesting, “My favourite part was seeing the soldiers coming down wires from the gallery, it seemed like they were flying.’ For most of the students this was the very first time that they had been to the theatre and experienced a live performance. For some this took a little getting used to – one said she ‘was a bit confused by some of the actors playing double roles, but once my friend explained that I really enjoyed it’.
For many students this was also their first trip to central London and one of our teacher’s favourite moments of the day was seeing the awe in some of their faces as they walked over the Millennium Bridge with views of the Globe ahead and behind to St Paul’s Cathedral. Hopefully many of our students caught the theatre bug after their trip to Shakespeare’s Globe. Certainly all the feedback from staff and students would suggest so, with many of them picking out favourite scenes for a special mention.
The theatre itself also proved a real hit, with many students saying how special it was. One pointed out that ‘the way it is set up we could all see everything. I liked the background with all the leaves and the way the theatre was decorated, it made us feel that everyone had all gone to a lot of effort for us.’ Learning was obviously at the heart of the experience and many students on their return commented on how it really made the story clear, one reporting that ‘I enjoyed the performance because it really helped me to understand the play.’
What an amazing experience for all our students! Our English and Drama teachers who escorted the group all commented how perfectly the production worked for the age range of the audience and how they engaged with the actors and appreciated being in such a fabulous theatre. As one student reported, ‘Before seeing Macbeth I had never been to the Globe Theatre and now I would love to go again.’
Tracey Phillipson – Community, Arts and Business Coordinator, Wanstead High School
Tugce Yigit (Year 9)
On Friday 11 March our school had organised a trip to Shakespeare’s Globe to see Macbeth. Three tutor groups went together to see the play.
The teachers handed out tickets and programmes while we waited to be called in. When we went inside the theatre I was amazed at what I saw although I was a little disappointed when I heard we were going to be standing to watch the play. I loved the way the play started, though, and I really liked the music that was created for it. It amazed me to see how much fun a play in a theatre could be and the emotion and facial expressions that the actors could create.
But the really best thing was the actors interacting with the audience. It was so good that I forgot about the aches in my legs.
Overall I thought it was a fantastic performance and I really enjoyed the day out with my friends and teachers.
Emily Redif (Year 9)
Our trip to see Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe was very amusing and I really enjoyed it.
Lots of people may have preferred to sit in the theatre but I really liked standing because the actors in the play came up to us in the audience and when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were crowned King and Queen all of us who were standing had yellow and red shiny paper fall on us like confetti. Therefore I really didn’t mind standing. My legs only ached right at the end.
My favourite part of the play was when the porter came on and started making jokes. I also liked it when the ghost of Banquo kept appearing as if from nowhere with blood on his face. It was funny watching the audience’s reactions too. Although I didn’t enjoy the parts where there were long conversations quite so much, overall I really enjoyed the trip. It was the only trip we’ve had all year!
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank this year commissioned a gripping Macbeth which ran for the first two weeks of March and was received enthusiastically by over 14,000 students from schools in every London Borough. The partnership also enables young people attending one of the performances to take part in a programme of free workshops with Globe Education practitioners. Training days were provided for their teachers, and online learning resources supporting the production and the teaching of Shakespeare are available to schools across the UK on the Playing Shakespeare website at www.playingshakespeare.org
For information of this summer’s season at Shakespeare’s Globe please visit www.shakespearesglobe.com.