The reviews for the stage version ofShakespeare in Love have been gushing.Critics have described the production as a‘swooning delight’, ‘deliciously funny’, and‘riotously enjoyable’, with one reviewer evenclaiming it ‘makes you feel grateful to bealive’. Getting universal five-star reviews setsthe bar high and educational resourcesassociated with a fab piece of theatre have a lot to live up to. So, can they match theexcellence on stage or do they let the side down?

If you haven’t seen this sweeping romanticcomedy yet then here’s a nutshell synopsis.Set in London in 1593, talented but strugglingyoung playwright Will Shakespeare is plaguedby writer’s block as he attempts to writeRomeo and Ethel, the Pirates Daughter. Thenhe falls head over heels in love with Viola DeLesseps, a stage-struck, passionatenoblewoman. Their forbidden love unblockshis creative constipation and inspiresWarwickshire Will to pen the greatest lovestory of all time, Romeo and Juliet. Featuring acompany of 28 actors and musicians and adog, this highly-acclaimed play brims over withcolour, character and life.

Now, if you are studying Shakespeare inLove and you are planning a visit to the NoelCoward theatre in London to watch it then youwill want to get your hands on a cracking neweducation programme that has beenespecially written for the play consisting ofteacher packs, lesson plans, pupil worksheetsand activities perfect for English, drama andhistory at KS3 and 4.

The resource packs can all be downloadedas pdf files from the website and there iscertainly plenty to go at. The teachers’introduction is the obvious place to start andthis ‘welcome to the programme’ resourcetells us what to expect. There are eightlessons available, each lasting between 45and 60 minutes with the familiar framework ofstarter, structured discussion, classroom taskand plenary along with follow-up andextension ideas. Added to this there are sevenquality worksheets and five equally goodresource sheets to furnish the lessons.

For pre-show preparations there are twocross-curricular lessons to set the scenewhere students predict how ShakespeareanEngland will be represented on stage in termsof the set, costume and performance. Theyare then introduced to some of the maincharacters and extracts from the script toexplore some plot-establishing lines spokenby Shakespeare and his muse. All this is solidstuff for whetting the appetite and for gettingthe brain juices moving.

After seeing the show, there are threethemes to select from to continue the journeyand keep the play alive for students. You canselect from Inspiration and Creativity inLiterature, Writing Techniques and Devices,

and Society and State Control in ElizabethanEngland. What I like about the materials is thatthey have been written for Key Stage 3 and4 – by selecting the appropriate Key Stage,you are teaching safe in the knowledge thatyou are tapping into the appropriate materials.

How do the lessons measure up? I thinkextremely well. They all benefit from startingwith a clear overview describing the mainobjective and what students will learn beforeleading into the key vocabulary you will beusing and the worksheet required. Thestructured discussions are very usefulbecause they pose questions and come with aTeacher Note for extra support and inspiration.They are just the job for getting students tothink and work together in small groups and tospark interaction between them.

The themes you select will be personalpreference but they all offer somethingspecial. One theme involves the pupilsreviewing the play within a play and reflectingon the fictional and true events inShakespeare’s life. Another encouragesstudents to think about how differentaudiences and media require a range ofwriting techniques and devices to tell thesame story. In a further theme, studentsengage with evidence and reflect on the factthat the play is just one interpretation of howthings were in Elizabethan times and that thisinterpretation is wide open to debate.

To add further value to the resources onoffer there are three videos to access, whichdelve into the early life of Mr Shakespeare,staging the Oscar-winning film and designingthe West End play. It’s just a shame thereweren’t more of them. Disney, can you up thenumber, to match your Lion King resource?

This is a very teacher- and student-friendlyresource that will undoubtedly enhance a visitto the play itself and help learners piecetogether their ideas and feelings once back atschool. The materials are challenging butachievable, motivating and thought-provoking,and as an overall package they have beenwell-written and pitched perfectly. There arezillions of opportunities for discussion basedactivities, acting, writing and rewriting,reviewing, researching and homework.

If you want to see the play then by jove, jollywell do and get stuck into the world of theatreat its best. It will cost you £15 per pupil forbalcony seats and another ten pounds on topof that if you opt for stalls, Royal Circle andGrand Circle. You get to go for nothing! And if you book then you get all the resourcesdiscussed here for free.

CONTACT: WWW.SHAKESPEAREINLOVEEDUCATION.COM REVIEWED BY: JOHN DABELL

PRODUCT REVIEW | Shakespeare in Love Education Programme

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VERDICT:WELL PLAYEDThis is the sort of resource that feelsgood to engage with and visit, knowingthat wherever you look, you will findsomething to make you ponder. Welldone, Disney.

Shakespeare in LoveEducation Programme

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