This year a cast of 30 year 7s and 8s got the opportunity to perform Romeo and Juliet at Greenwich Theatre for the Coram Shakespeare Schools Festival.
Even though the pupils only had 6 rehearsals to practice, they did an amazing job of learning their lines and putting on an amazing show. Most importantly, this was the first time a lot of the pupils read or performed Shakespeare and so having the children engage with the text at such a young age is a testament to their intrigue and passion for theatre.
Isabelle Tyner, Eltham’s director in residence, set their adaptation of the play in an ancient Greek city to compliment the genre of Greek tragedy, and as Romeo and Juliet is one of the most revived tragic stories that audiences continue to engage with. Isabelle says, ‘It was such a delight watching the children get excited in the dressing room before putting on a stunning production. They were also so polite and supportive to the other schools that took part in the festival. It was a delight to direct them!
