Shakespeare at Farlington
On Tuesday 9th September Farlington School played host to The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, an open-air touring theatre company which, as the name suggests, performs Shakespeare’s plays.
In the morning, the girls in Years 7-9 took part in four different workshops, including stage combat, the use of costumes and props, and the issues associated with an all-male cast playing women’s roles. The company constructed an impressive multi-tiered stage on the South Lawn and in the afternoon, bathed in late summer sunshine, the girls, joined by members of Year 10, were treated to a wonderful performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Owing to the skill of the actors, it was possible to forget that Juliet, her mother and the Nurse were all men, and the girls had obviously been transported into the world of the play. These are some of their responses:
It was fascinating to experience the play in the way that it would have been performed in Shakespearean times. The actors were very engaging, and even though the entire cast was male, those with female roles were surprisingly convincing. Erin Clarke Year 10
I really enjoyed the production as it was an exciting play with great actors who could also sing well. It was very realistic, and I thought a lot of effort had gone into the costumes. Overall the performance was truly fantastic. Emma Kindon Year 10
Tuesday was a unique experience that I am so glad I had as I had a great insight into the life of a Shakespearean actor. My favourite workshop was the stage fighting because I had always wanted to know how they made it look so real. All in all I had a fun, interactive day! Elena Beresford Pratt Year 9