Warwickshire News Mine

Nineteen primary and secondary schools from across the county will take part in ‘Warwickshire’s Children and Young People in the Dell’. The theme for this year’s festival is entrapment and power, a topic chosen to coincide with the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery. Primary schools will explore and respond to the theme through the plays ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ‘Macbeth’. Secondary schools will work with ‘Othello’ and ‘Richard III’.

John Haggett, Director of Warwickshire County Council’s Arts Zone said:
“Last year’s Mini Complete Works Festival was billed as a one-off but was so rewarding that we have found a way to continue the relationship with the RSC. This will allow more teachers to work with specialists and find ways of embedding creativity and excellence in the arts curriculum.”

Fiona Ingram Head of Young People’s Programmes, RSC Learning, said: “Working with Warwickshire schools was a real highlight for us last year, not only did they create amazing responses to Shakespeare plays but they really made Stratford their own. In this project, through devising their plays, the students really grapple with what the plays are about and what they want to say through them to a modern audience. This not only makes for exciting theatre but also gives students a real sense of owning Shakespeare for themselves. We cannot wait to see what they will produce in July.”

The festival, which will be based in schools before the emphasis shifts to Stratford, will involve teachers and pupils participating in workshops led by the RSC. Specialists from the RSC’s music and movement departments will help create ideas for live music for the performances and help with staging Shakespeare with large numbers of young people.  Schools will perform at The Dell outdoor theatre in Stratford from 11-13 July.
The partnership has been arranged by Warwickshire County Council’s Arts Zone.

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For more information please contact Rebecca Davidson in the Warwickshire County Council press office on 01926 414142

Notes to editors

Photography of schools from your area performing in Stratford will be taken on 11, 12 and 13 July. 

Schools taking part in the festival include:

Nuneaton and Bedworth
Ash Green School
Etone Community School & Technology College
Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College
Oak Wood Primary School
Queen’s CofE Junior School
Race Leys Junior School

East
Dunchurch Boughton CofE Junior School
St. Andrew’s Benn CofE Primary School
St Marie’s Catholic Junior School
The Avon Valley School & Performing Arts College

Central
St. Anthony’s Catholic Primary School
St John’s Primary School
Telford Infant School

South
Henley-in-Arden High School
Loxley CofE Community Primary School
Shipston High School, A Specialist Technology College
Welford-on-Avon Primary School
Wilmcote CofE Primary School
Wootton Wawen CofE Primary School

Link to WCC