Bringing a theatre practitioner into your classroom will give pupils the opportunity to experience the play from the perspective of an actor and a director. By working interactively with the text as a script, pupils will develop an understanding of Shakespeare’s characters, themes, plot and the process undertaken by an actor prior to performance.

To develop the pupil’s critical thinking, the practitioner will facilitate practical activities that will engage pupils imaginatively, emotionally and physically with the text. To deepen the understanding of complex themes and to inspire discussion and discourse, the practitioner will use a range of drama strategies. Through collaborative, ensemble work the pupils will discover the relationship between the structure of Shakespeare’s language, the character’s emotional journey and their motivation. The practitioner will encourage pupils to make independent, creative choices, supported by evidence from the text.

As an actor, the practitioner can give an insight into the process of staging a Shakespearian play for a contemporary audience by revealing how a director works analytically with the text and with their actor’s contributions during the rehearsal period. Using familiar and contextual role-play situations in the workshop, the pupils will be able to understand the themes explored in the play and discover links between the human dilemmas faced by people in the 16th century and today. Working experimentally and directly with Shakespeare’s language in a physical way enables pupils whose learning style is more kinaesthetic and visual to excel.

Some basic principles:

• Before speaking to the practitioner, establish the purpose of the workshop, for example, if the workshop is to introduce pupils to the play, to focus on a specific theme, to explore language or to work on a series of scenes.
• Inform the practitioner of the class size and any special requirements.
• Discuss the working space and share the timings of the school day.
• Identify the structure of the workshop and your role within the session.

Preparing the ground prior to the workshop:

• Book and prepare the space so that it is free from interruptions and is warm enough for practical work.
• Inform the pupils that they will be working physically and should dress appropriately.
• Check with the practitioner if additional resources or materials are required to support the delivery.

Supporting the visit:

Before the workshop begins, inform the practitioner of any recent developments or incidents which could affect the work or may affect the group dynamic during the session. During the workshop, support the practitioner, as previously agreed in the initial discussion and follow the practitioner’s lead in order to ensure the smooth delivery of the aims and objectives of the workshop.

Embedding the experience:

• Incorporate the workshop into termly planning.
• Plan time to reflect and review the workshop in order to consolidate the learning and enable pupils to apply their experience to their future critical appreciations.
• Integrate and adapt practical elements of the workshop into future lessons.