London’s secondary schools are being urged to bag their free tickets to see the latest production at Shakespeare’s Globe.
As part of the Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank programme, productions at the theatre on London’s South Bank are opened up to secondary school students for free.
Earlier this year, 11 to 16-year-olds got to see Romeo and Juliet and next year’s play has just been unveiled as The Merchant of Venice.
All state secondary schools across London can now apply for the free tickets, with performances due to run daily from March 6 to 20 next year. Schools outside London, meanwhile, can take advantage of greatly reduced prices for performances between March 21 and 28.
The annual Playing Shakespeare programme sees Globe Education commission a production designed especially to engage teenage students.
Performed by Globe actors, the productions retain Shakespeare’s language and are accompanied by interactive web resources to support both key stage 3 and 4 curriculum teaching.
There are also free CPD sessions for teachers and in-school workshops for students.
Since the Playing Shakespeare project began in 2007, more than £1 million worth of tickets have been given out. To date, 70 per cent of London’s state secondary schools have been involved.
Patrick Spottiswoode, the director of Globe Education, said: “Over the next three years, thanks to the continuing support of Deutsche Bank, over 100,000 students from every borough of London will see Shakespeare’s plays performed in the theatre for which they were written.
“For most, this will be their first experience of live theatre as well as live Shakespeare. I can think of no better way of celebrating the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth than to encourage students to meet Shakespeare playfully, as he intended, and at the birthplace of his plays.”
To apply for free tickets on a first-come-first-served basis, or to enquire about CPD, call 020 7902 1435 or visit www.playingshakespeare.org
For more on the work of Globe Education, visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/education
Going to the Globe? Scenes from Romeo and Juliet, this year’s Playing Shakespeare production. Next up in March 2014 is the Merchant of Venice Photos: Ellie Kurttz (top) and Pheobe Gardiner (above).