SEC WWW: All the World’s a Stage: A London Theatre Adventure

Last week, a group of Secondary students traveled to London, England for a fun and exciting adventure through Shakespeare and the theatre scene. 

The students took in an amazing performance of War Horse in the famed National Theatre and then enjoyed a backstage tour to see how it all is created and comes together in their multiple theatres. They also then took part in several workshops with trained actors in stage combat training and how to perform with emotions using their voices and bodies while on stage. 

We then took several walking tours throughout the week in the Southbank and the Theatre district area with our wonderful guides, who not only worked for the company that leads the tour but are working actors as well, so our students got some really good behind the scenes information about different places in the area from Southwark Chapel, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Royal Opera and Ballet, and everything else along the Thames River.   

Between these moments, the students were also able to take in London's numerous food choices and shopping experiences, like the Burrough Market and Covent Gardens. 

And then to conclude our week, the students took in an exhilarating performance of Shakespeare's A Mid-Summer Night's Dream in the recreated Globe Theatre where it was meant to be seen under the stars and sky. From several of our students volunteering to be on stage for a part in the play, to actors having the audience in stitches with laughter, and then to have the audience literally being part of the show, all of our students left with a better understanding of Shakespeare's work and what makes the Globe theatre and London so special.