Students from Manchester brought the works of Shakespeare to life as part of an annual celebration of the works of the Bard.
Students from Wright Robinson College in East Manchester staged two captivating performances – Julius Caesar by the school’s Key Stage 3 group and Twelfth Night performed by the Key Stage 4 students – at the Control Theatre on Oxford Road last Wednesday.
The Shakespeare Schools Foundation provides schools across the UK with the unique opportunity to perform Shakespeare in professional venues. It not only helps students immerse themselves in timeless plays but also builds essential skills such as ‘confidence, teamwork, and creativity.’
Mr. Reeson, director of Julius Caesar, shared his enthusiasm for the program. ‘The students have read this play in enlgish class, but performing it adds a whole new dimension to the story. It’s a fun play that tackles important themes, and even now, Shakespeare handles those themes better than anyone else.’
‘The festival gives students a chance to rehearse, interpret, and perform in front of a supportive audience. Some of our cast members participated last year, and it’s incredible to see how much confidence and creativity they’ve gained since then.’
For the Key Stage 4 students, Twelfth Night offered a fresh, comedic twist compared to the school’s previous years’ performances of the serious Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Miss Holden and Miss Haldaim, the play challenged the students to embrace slapstick comedy and find modern relevance in Shakespeare’s work.
‘Watching the students interpret Shakespeare in their own way is fascinating,’ Miss Holton said. ‘‘Twelfth Night’ gave them a chance to explore humour and light-heartedness while still tackling themes of identity and love. It’s been a joy to see how their confidence has grown through the process.’
One student described how the project ‘reignited my passion for drama because we all had such an important role to play.’ Another highlighted the sense of camaraderie the production created within the group, saying, ‘We are all so supportive of each other.’
Of course, tackling Shakespeare’s 500-year-old language wasn’t without its challenges. ‘If you saw me in rehearsals, I had the most confused face ever,’ one student admitted. However, as they continued practising, the themes and storyline began to resonate more clearly. Despite the initial hurdles, the students were unanimous in their belief that Shakespeare’s work remains as relevant and impactful today as it was centuries ago.
The event proved once again that Shakespeare’s plays remain as relevant and impactful as ever. Whether delving into betrayal and power struggles in Julius Caesar or embracing comedy and chaos in the Twelfth Night, Wright Robinson’s students demonstrated both their talent and their ability to bring new energy to Shakespeares’ timeless works.
