Shakepeare in the Prep
<p style=”text-align: center;”> <img alt=”” src=”images/YSC_Hamlet.jpg” style=”width: 448px; height: 298px;” /></p> <p style=”text-align: justify;”> Who said Shakespeare is boring? Certainly not our Prep 1 and 2s. They sat transfixed throughout a performance of <em>Hamlet </em>by the Young Shakespeare Company on Monday 2 February. This company specializes in visiting schools and making the works of Shakespeare accessible to children from KS2 upwards. In previous years Bancroft’s has hosted productions of <em>A Midsummer Night’s Dream</em> and <em>Macbeth</em>, both of which might be considered easier for a young audience. However, with its focus on the narrative and the involvement of the children – whether supplying sound effects, acting the roles of the minor characters or being asked to speculate on what happens next – the cast of five succeeding in entertaining the children who were totally absorbed. For many of the audience this was their first taste of Shakespeare; hopefully it won’t be their last. Always clear and never patronizing, this production provide the perfect introduction to one of Shakespeare’s most complex plays.</p> <p style=”text-align: justify;”> English Co-ordinator Karen Yelverton, who organised the visit, said, “‘Actors from the Young Shakespeare Company come to the Prep every year and give the children a great introduction into the world of Shakespearean drama. <em>Hamlet </em>is a new venture for the group, and we were very keen to see how they would perform it. We weren’t disappointed – it was really accessible and the children were utterly gripped.” Prep 2 pupil Jemima Strong was in the audience and her thoughts summed up all the pupils’ experiences, “I really enjoyed this. Some parts were very dramatic and even scary at times; however, it was great the way that the actors got us all involved and made it feel like fun.”</p> <p style=”text-align: center;”> <img alt=”” src=”images/YSC_Hamlet_2_web.jpg” style=”width: 448px; height: 298px;” /></p> <p style=”text-align: justify;”> </p>
