Trip to the Globe Theatre December 2006

The English, Drama and Music Departments combined forces to take Year 11 on this stimulating trip—although it was rather more like The Tempest as the rain lashed down!

 

A brisk walk past Southwark Cathedral and the Clink, and we entered the foyer and then the theatre itself.  There was an audible gasp from the pupils as they saw this fantastic reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original theatre.   The rich, oak, circular structure with thatched roof and thrust stage is stunning.   We took shelter in the covered section  (for which we would have had to have paid 5 Elizabethan pennies!)   and were given a brief talk about the history.   The pupils found the anecdotes amusing (1 penny Stankards –the name given to the groundlings who “relieved” themselves where they stood to “hear” the play), and asked some very pertinent questions when invited.

          We then had a short time in the exhibition, with a pro-active quiz about the various exhibitions.  One of these allowed you to play the recorded voices of several famous actors (Gielgud/Burton etc) saying “To be or not to be”—fascinating to hear the different interpretations

          After lunch, a resident actor, Adam, conducted a workshop on Romeo and Juliet.   He soon had everyone –members of staff included!—up on their feet for the “warm-ups”.  These were great fun, and soon everyone was relaxed and prepared for the real work.  Adam concentrated on the theme of animosity created by dramatic tension between the Capulets and Montagues.  He divided the pupils into two lines facing one another, and shouting words of hate vociferously at one another.  He explained the importance of appropriate facial expressions and complimentary body language, and there was hilarity when one row had to say “My Lady” and the other (boys too!) had to say  “My love, my Romeo”.

          Having prepared some simple dialogue, the pupils were allowed on the MAIN stage, and played out the sequences they had learned – hate, love and finally death.  The result was impressive, and the finale was a photo with Adam!

          A brilliant day, and one we have all benefited from and will remember for a long time.