With the UK’s theatres closed, the Coram Shakespeare Schools Festival this year has been an even more important part of our annual drama calendar.

This year our Year 9 dramatists chose to put on ‘the Scottish Play’, Macbeth…

18 Year 9 students worked incredibly hard this term to create a filmed production of Macbeth that merged Drama and Music together to create a thrilling piece. Under the guidance of Miss Elleray and the support from Mr Vile and Mrs Crocombe, the students rehearsed after schools and at lunchtimes to create a 30 minute version of the play that formed part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival’s One Night of Shakespeare on Friday 20 November.

Creating a piece of theatre for film really opened up new possibilities and allowed the cast and crew to explore the story differently than if the piece was only for stage. Much to the delight of the audience of family and friends who were able to enjoy the performance from the comfort of their living rooms! This really was a very special evening of Shakespeare.

Mrs Crocombe said, “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with such a talented group who have mastered the language and brought creativity and ideas into the rehearsal room. There are many Actor Musicians emerging from Year 9 and under the guidance of Miss Ellery, who as an Actor Musician trained at Rose Bruford herself, they were learning from the expert. It was such an atmospheric performance and a joy to edit the acting, live music and recorded music all created by the students. They did the Putney High Drama Department proud”

“Every single cast member brought depth and intelligence to their performances. There was some brilliant acting on show here; it helped that the entire company had such a fantastic command of Shakespearean language.”

Read the full review…

Shakespeare Schools Review - Macbeth