Pupils go back in time at Elizabethan theatre

Luckily, the weather was fine, so they were able to view the theatre in all its glory. The stage itself was set up for a production of ‘Othello’ which was to take place during the afternoon.

This meant they were unable to ‘tread the boards’. Instead the actress took the group up onto the second floor seating level and the girls had an amazing view of the stage.

The ten- and eleven-year-olds were given an insight into the life of an Elizabethan actor and how stagecraft is orchestrated in the round. Then they were taken to one of the Globe’s studios where the girls were put through their paces, working in small groups, staging freeze-frames of specific scenes and working in pairs on using their voices and body language to convey the scene where Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to do the deed.

Lunch was a chance to get some fresh air before returning to the museum to look at the costumes, props and musical instruments that are regularly used on stage. They even got a chance to wear some of the costumes and to find out how unhygienic the Elizabethans were…only washing four or five times a year!

It was certainly an informative experience and the girls would love to see a play performed there.

Report and picture contributed by Farlington School.