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Local schools bring Shakespeare alive at Central Middlesex Hospital

20-Mar-2007

Shakespeare schools festival logo
Shakespeare schools festival logo


The atrium of the new Central Middlesex Hospital will set the scene for the first Shakespeare Schools Festival performances in hospitals next week. 

On Monday 26 March, staff, patients and visitors will gather to see two unique and exciting performances from local schools. 

Pupils from Waldergrave School for Girls in Twickenham will perform their physical theatre production of The Tempest, followed by Vyners School’s (Uxbridge) energetic and quirky A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Both productions were originally performed to great acclaim at the Paul Robeson Theatre, Hounslow in February 2007, as part of the first ever UK-wide Shakespeare Schools Festival.  

From March 2007, the Shakespeare Schools Festival is taking these half-hour productions into hospitals and other non-theatre spaces.  This initiative allows new audiences in the local community to experience vibrant and original interpretations of Shakespeare plays, whilst giving participating students the opportunity to showcase their work in unique performance spaces.

Actor Jeremy Irons said: "I think this work is absolutely on the button! It allows young people to work together and to experiment with their emotions, exploring something which is out of their normal cultural medium. I can think of no other agenda which has so many spin offs as doing a youth production of Shakespeare.”

Chris Grace, Festival Director, said: “During the Festival, I see outstanding school productions and individual performances that beg for another wider and different audience. Taking live theatre into hospitals offers exactly that opportunity. I am delighted that Central Middlesex Hospital share our vision and are entering so wholeheartedly into this venture. We hope very much that if successful, this will lead to a still wider rollout.”

Candice Hurwitz, Director for North West London Hospital Arts said: “On behalf of the Trust, we are thrilled that the Shakespeare Schools Festival will perform their maiden healthcare performance in the new Central Middlesex Hospital.”

This event is free and open to the public, and promises to be an entertaining afternoon of Shakespearean drama performed by today’s young talent.

ENDS.

Notes to Editors

  • Reporters and photographers are well come to attend the performances at 2.30 and 3.15pm on March 26. The performers will also be visiting the Rainbow Children’s Centre.  Please confirm with the press office at North West London Hospitals NHS Trust on 020 8869 2421 if you are able to attend. For further information and images, please contact Bridget Floyer on 020 7785 6496 or by email bridget.floyer@ssf.uk.com or visit www.ssf.uk.com
  • The Shakespeare Schools Festival began in Pembrokeshire, Wales in 2000.  Chris Grace, Director of Animation at S4C and Executive Producer of The Animated Tales, used scripts from this successful series, working with 8 local schools in staging half hour performances in local professional theatres. In 2007, the Shakespeare Schools Festival worked with over 1000 schools across the UK.
  • From Monday March 26, Waldergrave School for Girls’ performance will take place at 2.30pm.  Vyners School will perform at 3.15pm.  Both performances take place in the atrium of the new Central Middlesex Hospital.
  • In preparation, teacher/directors from each school attended a day-long workshop with the MAP Consortium, whilst school casts had a half-day workshop with one of the four National Youth Theatres.
  • The Shakespeare Schools Festival is a registered charity (1087596), and is funded in England by the DfES and Arts Council England.