RSC ACTORS DO THEIR BIT TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH COVID-19 CRISIS
As the Summer term ends and many young people across the UK look ahead to returning to school in September, the Royal Shakespeare Company has today released highlights from its nationwide Homework Help initiative which saw over 100,000 people receive advice on performing and studying Shakespeare from RSC actors and alumni.
Highlights of the campaign include contributions from RSC Associate Artist, David Tennant, who responded to a question about his favourite Hamlet soliloquy, and actor, director and writer Adjoa Andoh, who, in response to the question – Is Shakespeare relevant? – discussed some of the ways in which Shakespeare can speak to us today, as we navigate how to live in the world amidst the global pandemic, Black Lives Matter and environmental emergencies. Paapa Essiedu, who can currently be seen playing Kwame in I May Destroy You, gave students a masterclass in making characters their own, star of the Harry Potter film series, David Bradley, shared his tips about how to get into theatre whilst RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran gave insights into the downfall of Richard II and the complex morality of Measure for Measure.
WATCH: IS SHAKESPEARE RELEVANT? Actor, director and writer Adjoa Andoh speaks about Shakespeare and homophobia, racism, injustice and love.
WATCH: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HAMLET SOLILOQUY with David Tennant.
WATCH: DAVID THRELLFALL ON PERFORMING SHAKESPEARE
WATCH: PAAPA ESSIEDU ON MAKING CHARACTERS YOUR OWN
The actors, who are currently unable to rehearse or perform on stage, volunteered to share their tips and answer questions about Shakespeare and drama studies whilst under lockdown, helping students, parents and teachers adjust to their new home-schooling environment.
From questions about acting and directing to the life and times of Shakespeare, his comedies, histories and tragedies, topics covered as part of Homework Help have been incredibly diverse; from ‘Did Shakespeare have a happy childhood? to ‘Was Richard III truly villainous’, ‘Why are genders reversed in productions and, does it work?, ‘Are female characters dressed as boys ever convincing?’, ‘If Julius Caesar was a radio play, how would you stage the assassination scene?’, ‘Why does Romeo make such terrible decisions?’, ‘Did Shakespeare write in posh or colloquial English?’, ‘Why should students study Macbeth?, ‘Which sister is in King Lear is worse, Goneril or Regan?’, ‘Did Shakespeare ever visit Scotland’, ‘Why was he obsessed with fairies’ and ‘Was William Shakespeare really a woman?’
Since launching in May 2020, the #RSCHomeworkHelp initiative has received over five hundred submissions from young people studying Shakespeare in the UK and around the world from Australia to New York, Indianapolis and Tanzania.
Since the closure of UK schools on 23 March 2020:
- The Royal Shakespeare Company’s dedicated education website Shakespeare Learning Zone has received over 1 million views, an increase of 300% in comparison to the same period last year.
- David Tennant’s video response to the RSC ‘Homework Help’ campaign received a total of 89k views.
- 33,000 young people have accessed the RSC’s ‘Live Lesson’ of Macbeth directed by Polly Findlay and featuring Christopher Eccleston
- The RSC Education pages have received over 8.5K pageviews with downloadable Teachers Packs and a newly launched programme of 15-minute Activity Toolkits for KS3 pupils including digital activities from our education partner, Adobe.
- Over 280,000 unique users have accessed the RSC’s daily BBC Bitesize Shakespeare Lessons for KS3 & 4. In the last two weeks of June there were a total of 38,000 users to all RSC lessons (both Year 10 and KS3)
Commenting on the campaign, RSC Director of Education, Jacqui O’Hanlon, said; ‘“We have been overwhelmed by the volume and variety of questions received in response to our RSC Homework Help initiative and are incredibly grateful to our RSC artists for giving up their time to help, support and inspire young people through this challenging time.
Every year, RSC Education reaches over 500,000 young people who experience, first-hand, the extraordinary power of Shakespeare’s language in their school and local communities.
Whilst our buildings remain closed and performances postponed, it is important that we continue to offer support to students, families and teachers across the country, whether through initiatives like Homework Help, our partnership with BBC Bitesize or through tailored packages of support delivered to our Associate Schools in collaboration with our 12 regional partner theatres across the UK.”
REGIONAL PARTNER THEATRES
The RSC forms lasting partnerships with regional theatres, community groups and schools around the country and has been working with its network of 12 regional partner theatres and 261 Associate Schools under lockdown to help support a range of distanced learning initiatives with support from members of the RSC’s current acting company.
In Bradford..
Highlights include a collaboration between Bradford College, Bradford Alhambra and RSC actor Andrew French, who was due to appear as Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale with the Royal Shakespeare Company when theatres closed in March. Andrew has been working with members of Bradford College’s ESOL ‘Shakespeare Club’ to lead an online question and answer session with students on Romeo and Juliet. The students, many of whom are asylum seekers or members of the refugee community, all have English as a second language.
In Blackpool..
Elsewhere, in Blackpool, RSC actor Joseph Kloska, who was due to appear as Leontes in The Winter’s Tale, has been working with GCSE students from Highfields Academy to support their study of Macbeth. Students and teachers at Highfields Academy joined Joseph Kloska for a taoilred Q & A via Zoom to share their questions on the play which included: Was Macbeth weak? Macbeth is told his fate, would you want to know yours? Would you say Lady Macbeth is an emotional character? What do you like about Macbeth as a character?
In Canterbury and Hull…
Other facilitated Q & As include ‘Ask An Actor’ sessions with Joseph Arkley, who recently appeared as Kate in Justin Audibert’s gender-flipped production of The Taming of the Shrew for students of The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury’s Youth Theatre and Associate School, and a ‘Routes into Acting’ Q & A with Laura Elsworthy delivered to students of St Mary’s College, Hull.
EXISTING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HOME LEARNING
The RSC also has a number of existing resources that can be used to support learning in school or at home including:
- Shakespeare Learning Zone – games, videos, timelines, character, plot summaries and more help to unlock the plays rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone
- Live Lessons: The RSC’s Live Lessons on Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet are available to watch and take part in at any time. There are also a number of Primary and Secondary lessons co-produced by the RSC and the BBC that can be watched at any time. Click here for more information
- The RSC YouTube channel: contains a selection of educational videos including introductions to language terms such as iambic pentameter, actor-lead tutorials exploring the techniques they use to get to grips with a text and full online performances including Tim Crouch’sI, Cinna.
- Teacher resources are free to download from the RSC website including teacher packs by play and Key Stage.
- Home-educators can also access up to seventeen RSC productions in partnership with Digital Theatre+ alongside supporting resources including backstage insights, practitioner interviews, written analysis and over 450+ productions of the world’s finest theatre.
The RSC is a charity with a mission to transform lives through amazing experiences of Shakespeare and great theatre. The financial impact of temporary closure for the RSC, and theatres across the country, is considerable and damaging, and alongside many theatres the RSC is urgently appealing for support through the Keep You RSC campaign to:
- Keep Your RSC educating
- Keep Your RSC transforming lives
- Keep Your RSC open for everyone
The impact of school closures means that any donations received will make a difference for young people, particularly those with less support at home.
For more information on how to help Keep Your RSC educating, visit https://www.rsc.org.uk/support/keep-your-RSC-educating-the-nation