Shakespeare Workshops
Shakespeare workshops designed to suit your study and or Shakespeare Week in March 18th - 24th 2019
We offer a wealth of storytelling and drama based workshops for Primary and Secondary schools and pupils with SEN.
Here is a snapshot. Do contact us for more details!
Aims:
- To introduce Shakespeare at an appropriate level for the chosen age band
- To explore the narrative of the chosen play through storytelling and drama
- To play with and enjoy Shakespeare’s mastery of language
- To focus on three characters from the play and develop empathy for and understanding of them through drama
- To discuss and share, in a reflective talking circle, the learning which has taken place
Outline of Workshop:
Each workshop would focus on one of the following Shakespeare plays:
The Tempest (Y5/6) Macbeth (Y4/5) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Y1/2)
The workshop outline would be broadly similar for each session:
* Introduction to Shakespeare and the chosen play through storytelling
* Drama strategies including freeze frame, dilemma tunnel and mantle of the expert to explore the narrative as a whole group
* Spoken presentation of a piece of text or a key character, followed by time to explore and deepen response to the speech through paired work, reflection and visualisation
* Group work exploring three key characters from the chosen play through speech, bodywork and interaction, using Shakespeare’s own words, as appropriate.
* Talking Circle to reflect on the play, what has been learned, and what else the children would like to know.
.................................................................................................................................
The aim of this day-long programme (although it can be edited/condensed to suit the requirements of individual schools) is to give students an insight not only into Shakespeare's Hamlet, but the man who wrote it and the theatre for which he was writing. John's engaging and lively storytelling style actively involves the students throughout the day.
Part 1: a presentation/workshop introducing the students to the life and times of William Shakespeare. This presentation actively involves students in a range of tableaux to illustrate John's presentation. During the course of this session, John can also teach the students a song from one of Shakespeare's plays (John accompanies himself on a small acoustic guitar).
Part 2: with the help of the students, storyteller John tells the story of Hamletto give students a clearer understanding of the plot with its many twists, turns and "meanwhiles". He also contextualises the play and its subject matter.
Part 3: John introduces Shakespeare's writing and storytelling styles in Hamlet. Using a few key speeches and scenes (which can be pre-agreed with the school) and involving students directly, John shows how Shakespeare uses words to vividly paint pictures for his audience.
Part 4: (optional and subject to time) students work with John on a couple of short scenes to show to peers/teachers, using eitherShakespeare's own words or a contemporary paraphrasing.
Part 5: short summary and any questions.
(NB: This workshop can also be adapted to any other Shakespeare play the school may wish to explore.)
..........................................................................................................................................
After a short introduction to Master William Shakespeare’s life and theatre, John tells either the full tale, or one of the sub-plots, of Shakespeare’s most universally accessible and popular plays A Midsummer Night’s Dream. During this, he introduces a few original lines from the play, which form the basis of a “speaking Shakespeare” collective exercise. John also uses members of the class to make a “family tree” of central characters so that we all know who’s who. Then, focusing on the fairy magic, particularly that practiced by the mischievous Puck, we walk through a couple of scenes, either in dumb-show or using key words/lines. The workshop would then finish with our own non-Shakespearean retelling of “Pyramus and Thisbe,” as performed by Bottom and his fellow “mechanicals” at the end of the play’, before closing with Puck’s final speech.
Note that in sessions of less than half a day, John would not be able to undertake all of the above activities; the school may therefore select activities on which they would prefer to focus.
......................................................................................................................................
Comments from schools
I believe all participants responded well to the workshop and were engaged for all of the sessions. John met my core objectives and covered social and Historical context of Elizabethan England amd Shakespeares Life and Times . Fantastic content and creativity. The evolution Centre
Mid Summers Night Dream - Stechford Primary school
Drama workshop November 2015
The school said...
The whole day was awesome. The children thoroughly enjoyed their day with Cat. She really motivated them. They showcased what they had done in the workshop in front of the whole school and parents. They were fab and everyone loved it. Expect more business coming your way from us! Thank you so much! Ros
Mid Summers Night Dream Jubilee Park Academy March 2016
The children really enjoyed the workshop and learned a lot. They were really engaged throughout. The content was informative and moved at a pace to keep the children engaged.
The children said:
'I liked how he explained the answers to our questions.'
'I liked how he told us interesting information that we did no know.'
He was really funny.
Shakespeare Workshops Feb 2018
Good afternoon Adele.
I just wanted to thank you for the Shakespeare workshop today. I have had great feedback from the teachers and children.
Kind regards
Helen
Whitehouse Common Primary School Sutton Coldfield
We offer a wealth of storytelling and drama based workshops for Primary and Secondary schools and pupils with SEN.
Here is a snapshot. Do contact us for more details!
Aims:
- To introduce Shakespeare at an appropriate level for the chosen age band
- To explore the narrative of the chosen play through storytelling and drama
- To play with and enjoy Shakespeare’s mastery of language
- To focus on three characters from the play and develop empathy for and understanding of them through drama
- To discuss and share, in a reflective talking circle, the learning which has taken place
Outline of Workshop:
Each workshop would focus on one of the following Shakespeare plays:
The Tempest (Y5/6) Macbeth (Y4/5) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Y1/2)
The workshop outline would be broadly similar for each session:
* Introduction to Shakespeare and the chosen play through storytelling
* Drama strategies including freeze frame, dilemma tunnel and mantle of the expert to explore the narrative as a whole group
* Spoken presentation of a piece of text or a key character, followed by time to explore and deepen response to the speech through paired work, reflection and visualisation
* Group work exploring three key characters from the chosen play through speech, bodywork and interaction, using Shakespeare’s own words, as appropriate.
* Talking Circle to reflect on the play, what has been learned, and what else the children would like to know.
.................................................................................................................................
The aim of this day-long programme (although it can be edited/condensed to suit the requirements of individual schools) is to give students an insight not only into Shakespeare's Hamlet, but the man who wrote it and the theatre for which he was writing. John's engaging and lively storytelling style actively involves the students throughout the day.
Part 1: a presentation/workshop introducing the students to the life and times of William Shakespeare. This presentation actively involves students in a range of tableaux to illustrate John's presentation. During the course of this session, John can also teach the students a song from one of Shakespeare's plays (John accompanies himself on a small acoustic guitar).
Part 2: with the help of the students, storyteller John tells the story of Hamletto give students a clearer understanding of the plot with its many twists, turns and "meanwhiles". He also contextualises the play and its subject matter.
Part 3: John introduces Shakespeare's writing and storytelling styles in Hamlet. Using a few key speeches and scenes (which can be pre-agreed with the school) and involving students directly, John shows how Shakespeare uses words to vividly paint pictures for his audience.
Part 4: (optional and subject to time) students work with John on a couple of short scenes to show to peers/teachers, using eitherShakespeare's own words or a contemporary paraphrasing.
Part 5: short summary and any questions.
(NB: This workshop can also be adapted to any other Shakespeare play the school may wish to explore.)
..........................................................................................................................................
After a short introduction to Master William Shakespeare’s life and theatre, John tells either the full tale, or one of the sub-plots, of Shakespeare’s most universally accessible and popular plays A Midsummer Night’s Dream. During this, he introduces a few original lines from the play, which form the basis of a “speaking Shakespeare” collective exercise. John also uses members of the class to make a “family tree” of central characters so that we all know who’s who. Then, focusing on the fairy magic, particularly that practiced by the mischievous Puck, we walk through a couple of scenes, either in dumb-show or using key words/lines. The workshop would then finish with our own non-Shakespearean retelling of “Pyramus and Thisbe,” as performed by Bottom and his fellow “mechanicals” at the end of the play’, before closing with Puck’s final speech.
Note that in sessions of less than half a day, John would not be able to undertake all of the above activities; the school may therefore select activities on which they would prefer to focus.
......................................................................................................................................
Comments from schools
I believe all participants responded well to the workshop and were engaged for all of the sessions. John met my core objectives and covered social and Historical context of Elizabethan England amd Shakespeares Life and Times . Fantastic content and creativity. The evolution Centre
Mid Summers Night Dream - Stechford Primary school
Drama workshop November 2015
The school said...
The whole day was awesome. The children thoroughly enjoyed their day with Cat. She really motivated them. They showcased what they had done in the workshop in front of the whole school and parents. They were fab and everyone loved it. Expect more business coming your way from us! Thank you so much! Ros
Mid Summers Night Dream Jubilee Park Academy March 2016
The children really enjoyed the workshop and learned a lot. They were really engaged throughout. The content was informative and moved at a pace to keep the children engaged.
The children said:
'I liked how he explained the answers to our questions.'
'I liked how he told us interesting information that we did no know.'
He was really funny.
Shakespeare Workshops Feb 2018
Good afternoon Adele.
I just wanted to thank you for the Shakespeare workshop today. I have had great feedback from the teachers and children.
Kind regards
Helen
Whitehouse Common Primary School Sutton Coldfield