Shakespeare 4 Kidz - S4K Romeo

WHEN Julian Chenery first had the idea of adapting William Shakespeare's plays to make them more accessible, he had no concept of how popular his work would become.

Some 13 years later and Julian's Shakespeare 4 Kidz productions are performed in schools and theatres all over the world. What's more, his adaptation of The Tempest is likely to be made into a full-length feature film.

It is a worthy achievement for a man who, after losing his job in the London Stock Exchange in the 1980s recession, had to use his initiative and come up with an alternative career.

"I wasn't talented enough to be a sportsman but I was good at performing and writing," he said.

Then Julian recalled that Cliff Richard had once said: "The great thing about my job is that I make money while I'm asleep." These words struck a chord with Julian and he set about coming up with a plan.

Despite this flippant comment, Julian admits that making a reliable living was not his only motivation for the Shakespeare for Kidz (S4K) productions.

"There is no doubt that Shakespeare is a great writer and an English cultural icon. His plays are full of great drama and humour but, unfortunately, so many people are put off his works because they come to them too early and the language is so impenetrable."

"Like most people I first encountered his work as a young teenager at school and, at that time, I found it dull and boring.

"So many youngsters are made to read his plays in the classroom from books and, as a result, are put off for life. My idea was to make Shakespeare feel exciting by thinking how to present it live on stage, in an engaging style that youngsters could relate to."

Julian and his musical partner had already co-written a few short pieces for local schools to perform. In turning their hand to Shakespeare's work they began with A Midsummer Night's Dream, adapting the play to suit modern tastes. All the well-known quotes from the original text were preserved but they were mixed with modern language, music, songs and dance. A contemporary presentation was achieved without losing any of the major characters or the main thrust of the original plot.

The first performance of the play by schoolchildren, in 1996, was a huge success and further adaptations of the great Bard's works have followed.

Macbeth, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and the Tempest, have all been given the S4K treatment and the Tempest is now on the verge of being turned into a film, to be shot in the Middle East, using mainly English actors.

Julian is aware that some people disapprove of his work and view it as a "dumbing down" down exercise but he hopes that, in the long run, it will draw more people into engaging with Shakespeare and the theatre.

"I believe it will lead many in the audience to search out more traditional presentations of Shakespeare's work in later life and do it with real enthusiasm enjoyment."

He'll be hoping to sow the seeds of a lifelong love of Shakespeare in Derby this week when Romeo and Juliet � The Musical comes to the Assembly Rooms.

Julian said: "I hope to surprise youngsters who come to see our version of Romeo and Juliet expecting a dry, boring experience, to discover that what is on offer is a lively, entertaining, musical presentation with a rock 'n' roll theme along the lines of the show Grease."

Romeo and Juliet � The Musical

WHERE: Assembly Rooms, Derby.

WHEN: Thursday, 10.30am and 1.30pm.

PRICE: �15, under 16s �9.

BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800.

See the original article on the THIS IS DERBYSHIRE website

What they say about us:
S4K HAMLET: "Too often in our busy lives we never seem to make time to thank people for the good things and yet we always seem to moan when things go wrong! However I would like to thank you for an outstanding performance of Hamlet at the Sands Centre in Carlisle. Two weeks ago we had the workshop which was great and really broke the play down for the children ( and some of the staff too) to understand. We have been busy studying Hamlet as well as Macbeth at school."

What they say about us:

S4K HAMLET: "Too often in our busy lives we never seem to make time to thank people for the good things and yet we always seem to moan when things go wrong! However I would like to thank you for an outstanding performance of Hamlet at the Sands Centre in Carlisle. Two weeks ago we had the workshop which was great and really broke the play down for the children ( and some of the staff too) to understand. We have been busy studying Hamlet as well as Macbeth at school."