With this year’s performance of Macbeth, the Young Shakespeare Company yet again provided a wonderful opportunity for the children to experience Shakespeare through direct involvement in one of his plays. Forms 4 and 5 enjoyed workshops before watching a mesmerising performance of the play by a storyteller and four five Young Shakespeare Company actors.
The work was performed by a cast of dynamic classically-trained actors, with a passion for performing Shakespeare for younger audiences. This dark tragedy was brought vividly to life around and amongst the children. The company specialises in including the whole audience to create such dramatic scenes as the meeting between Macbeth and the witches on a desolate heath, and the court scenes as the control of Scotland is uncertain.
Throughout the workshops, the children became actively involved via a carefully structured range of drama and language activities, which encouraged them to explore the motives, thoughts and feelings of the characters. Volunteers from among the children were also chosen to become individual characters in the story and all the children had the opportunity to speak and enjoy Shakespeare’s words in short, accessible sections.
The Young Shakespeare Company actors performed Shakespeare’s spellbinding story of ambition, guilt and revenge in a fast-moving fully costumed interactive production. The play was brought vividly to life around and among the children, at times including the whole audience to create such dramatic scenes as the meeting between Macbeth and the witches, the royal banquet at which Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost and the thrilling battle in which Macbeth comes face to face with his greatest enemy, Macduff.