What a triumph! – a Hazlegrove Midsummer Night’s Dream

The latest Hazlegrove Year 7 production involved taking on the complexities of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. A challenge which the children rose to superbly, delivering performances that will last long in the memory of all concerned.

Hazlegrove Year 7 pupils triumphed in their production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ with two entirely separate casts. Taking the challenges of the Shakespearean language in this abridged adaptation to heart, the children performed brilliantly delivering their lines confidently and with great expression.

Keen to ensure that all the children had a significant role to play, Head of Drama and Dance Kimberley Arnold divided the year group by classes to create two completely different casts. 

“When I suggested to the pupils at the end of last term that they should learn Shakespeare for their Year 7 plays, I was overwhelmed by their reaction. They have worked with enthusiasm, supported each other relentlessly and bounced into rehearsals over the past twelve weeks, resulting in a beautifully sincere performance," she said. 

“Rehearsing a Midsummer Night’s Dream this term has taken up much of the pupils’ spare time, encouraged them to take risks on stage and developed mutual trust.”

Somewhere, in the depths of your memory, you can probably still recall a quote or two from Shakespeare. We have all studied, recited and navigated our way around the Bard at school; some of us left hating it, some loving it. Either way, we cannot deny a mutual fascination of the finer nuances of Shakespeare’s work.

450 years after his birth, Shakespeare’s scripts continue to play a unique role in English education. When we teach Shakespeare in drama class, we are encouraging our young actors to take creative leaps.

Drama is part of the curriculum from Year 1 at Hazlegrove and every child performs in a year group production every year whether it be musical or dramatic in nature. The confidence these children have gained from these regular opportunities to be on stage was evident in the way they took on the complexities of Shakespearean drama and delivered performances that will last long in the memories of cast and audience alike.

The whole experience was both challenging and immensely rewarding for everyone involved.