Six London Schools Work with RSC Education Department to Perform on Roundhouse Stage
06 May 2008
In May, students from six West London Schools from Chiswick, Hounslow & Middlesex will get the chance to perform their responses to Henry IV Parts I and II and Henry V at the Roundhouse in Camden, where the RSC is currently performing all of Shakespeare's History plays.
Now in its ninth successful year, the RSC's Playback is a performance project that encourages students to devise a short piece of theatre based on the themes and characters in Shakespeare's plays.
On 3 April 2008, an INSET day for teachers was held at the Questors Theatre in Ealing. Led by Project Manager, Kate Hall and the Project Director, Gemma Fairlie, the day demonstrated exercises for teachers to engage students with the History plays whilst identifying themes within the text and giving examples of how Shakespeare's language can form the basis of the devised performances.
Throughout April and May, the schools are participating in numerous workshops led by Project Practitioner, Rebecca Hemmings, which involve performance skills, devising theatre and learning how to work with Shakespeare's text. Rebecca has previously worked for the RSC, delivery in-school workshops around Noughts & Crosses. Pupils who have worked with Rebecca previously have felt inspired by working with a black practitioner.
John Lyon's Charity, which partly funds this project, is dedicated to enhancing the conditions of life and improving the life-chances of young people through education, across several London Boroughs. Through this project it has also sought to develop practitioners from a Black Minority Ethnic background.
As part of the 2008 Playback Project, the students are invited to see a performance of Henry IV Part I at the Roundhouse in Camden. The project then culminates on 19 May when all the schools will perform their responses Henry IV and Henry V to an invited audience, using the current RSC set at the Roundhouse.
Each year the feedback from Playback is overwhelmingly positive. Teachers and students involved in last year's project commented:
“Acting out the play made me understand it better”
“It was amazing for us students to get an opportunity to act in a well known theatre”
Facts & Figures from previous Playback projects:
- 100% of the teachers said their work on the project would positively influence how they taught Shakespeare in the classroom.
- 96% of participants rated their experience on the performance day excellent or good.
- SATs results showed a marked improvement following the students' participation in Playback. 55% of the group from one school achieved a higher level than was formally predicted.
The six schools participating in this year's project are:
Lampton School, Hounslow
Chiswick Community School, Chiswick
JFS School, Brent
Springwell Junior School, Middlesex
Strand on the Green Junior School, Chiswick
The Cardinal Wiseman School, Ealing
Workshops will take place at the six chosen schools on the following dates:
Monday 14 April – JFS
Monday 28 April – Lampton School
Tuesday 29 April – Strand Junior School
Wednesday 30 April – Cardinal Wiseman School
Wednesday 30 April – Springwell Junior School
Friday 2 May – Chiswick Community School
Monday 12 May – Chiswick Community School
Tuesday 13 May – Lampton School
Wednesday 14 May – Cardinal Wiseman School
Wednesday 14 May – Springwell Junior School
Thursday 15 May – JFS
Friday 16 May – Strand Junior School
Notes to Editors:
RSC Playback 2008
Monday 19 May, 1pm – 3pm or 3.30pm – 5.30pm
The Roundhouse – By Invitation only
The Histories
1 April – 25 May 2008
Roundhouse
Box Office 0844 482 8008
www.thehistories.co.uk
John Lyon's Charity is an educational foundation originally established in 1578 to maintain the Harrow and Edgware Roads. It now gives grants to groups and organisations for the benefit of children and young adults resident in the following London boroughs: Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hammersmith& Fulham, Harrow, Kensington and Chelsea and the Cities of London and Westminster. Since 1993 £44 million has been distributed as grants for the benefit of children and young people.
For more information regarding interviews, attending workshops or the Playback Project performance, please contact:
Vicky Wilson, Press & Marketing Assistant
0207 845 0513
victoria.wilson@rsc.org.uk
