Our Drama Scholars in the Third Form to the Divisions enjoyed an exciting day of theatre-related activities in London. In the morning, they enjoyed a private workshop and tour at Shakespeare’s Globe, which was particularly relevant to the cast members of last term’s production Seasons of Shakespeare. In the afternoon, they saw the Olivier Award-winning smash hit production, Dear England, a fictionalized account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams. It was an inspiring and enriching day for our younger Drama Scholars.
Markus F. (Fourths) writes:
The day consisted of two parts: a tour and workshop at Shakespeare’s Globe, and a play called “Dear England” at the Olivier Theatre (National Theatre).
The guided tour took us into the Globe Theatre, and we were treated to a spectacular view of the stage. We were told what theatre was like in Shakespeare’s time, learning that theatres were not allowed to be in the City of London. The Globe we all think of was constructed in a place called Bankside (now part of London). However, that was the third Globe! The first one burnt down, and the second one was originally situated in London, but it was taken down as it was not allowed to be there. This led to the third Globe being built just across the Thames from St Paul’s Cathedral.
We also learnt about how this theatre was different to a lot of theatres nowadays. First, and most obviously, it is an open-air theatre. This presents a lot of difficulties for actors, as they must continue through rain, and project over planes and whatever other noise might be going on in the background. You might be wondering why it was built as an open-air theatre if it proves so many difficulties? Unfortunately, in the 1590s, they did not have stage lighting sets. They needed sunlight for the stage and for the actors to be seen by the audience. The lack of lighting is also the reason why in Shakespeare’s plays, when the scene is set at night, the actors often say things that show the audience that it is night. This is famously the case in “Hamlet” Act I Scene I, when Bernardo (Barnardo) says ‘Who’s there?’, showing that he can’t see and that it is night.
After the guided tour, we were taken to the Shakespeare’s Globe Education Studios, and we were given a workshop based on the play “The Tempest”. In this workshop, we did many different exercises that are used in professional productions such as advance, retreat, manoeuvre, and it’s you, it’s me, it’s the space. These exercises help actors build their character and acknowledge who they’re addressing when they say their lines.
Once the workshop had finished, we made our way to the National Theatre to see the play Dear England. This play is about the England football team, and the journey that Gareth Southgate led them on. The stage consisted of three revolves, which are parts of the stage that move in a circle. This meant that the play was always at high energy, as it was always moving. This performance was really focused on atmosphere. It was clear that the director had tried to bring every single audience member in and tell them a story of the past as if it was happening right now. This was done excellently. You were on the edge of your seat hoping for England to score that final penalty against Colombia; you wanted Rashford, Saka and Sancho to convert those goals in the Euros final versus Italy, even though you knew that fate was already sealed.
This made “Dear England” such a thrilling show to see. You feel immersed in the football, and you cheer as if you’re in the stadium watching the game. You simply keep thinking: one more goal!
