Clifton High School's Year 6 pupils were delighted to have participated in The Coram Shakespeare Schools Festival at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory Theatre on Monday 19th February 2024.
The Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (CSSF) supports thousands of children and teachers to take a Shakespearean play from page to stage. The annual Festival gives children the confidence and essential skills they will need for life as well as offering teachers the acquisition of fresh ideas, resources and tools that bring drama into the classroom.
Over an average year, the CSSF’s work reaches up to 13,000 young people as they are encouraged to take to the stage across a variety of regional theatres with all participants given the opportunity to learn, play and create – showcasing that Shakespeare truly is for everyone!
An abridged version of The Tempest was performed by over twenty of our Year 6 pupils who had rehearsed with dedication and motivation for many months before. The actual day’s experience consisted of a technical rehearsal whereby the children were provided with an introduction and understanding of stage management and the lighting effects before a full dress-rehearsal to accustom them to the Tobacco Factory Theatre environment. Their eagerness and hard work were rewarded as they lit up the stage at 7.00pm for an audience composed of community members together with the many familiar faces of family members and friends. Not only was this an incredible experience for the children, but they also performed in the most spectacular fashion, exceeding all expectations in a word-perfect performance that was applauded by a captivated crowd. An appraisal from the CSSF can be found here.
The impact of the CSSF extends far beyond the evening performance to powerfully impact how children interact with each other and adults, gain confidence and resilience in their abilities as well as improve upon leadership skills. If you would like to learn more about their on-going work in Bristol and further afield, and how to support their initiatives that give children a chance to shine, please click here or scan the QR code:
We would very much like to take the opportunity to thank all our Year 6 pupils who participated in this opportunity and congratulate them on their incredible performance of The Tempest. We also extend our gratitude to Directors Mrs Helen Tabb and Mrs Hannah Crofts as well as Mr Andrew Cleaver who attended the show and kindly assumed the role of ‘chief photographer’. We invite you to take time to scroll through the images of Clifton High School’s Shakespearean actors in the carousel above.
