November 05, 2013
Here at One Day we often work alongside a couple of partner companies, who are experts in their field. Today, we wanted to introduce the Rubbish Shakespeare Company and tell you about their fantastic workshops and performances. These interactive drama days aim to make Shakespeare accessible and enjoyable for all, regardless of age or ability.
We went along to watch a Shakespeare workshop they delivered at Leeds City College on Tuesday, where the team worked with a group of 16-17 year old performing arts diploma students. This age group was slightly older than the company would usually work with but the session worked brilliantly, and complemented the diploma acting class perfectly.
As part of the course, these students take an acting class every week. However, this session was different for them because it was targeted specifically towards Shakespearian acting. Rubbish Shakespeare Company based the entire session on the famous play Romeo & Juliet, preparing the group for another module coming up after Christmas.
The students were given scripts to work on with peers and then split into pairs, using a range of movement and repetitions to portray different emotion. One example was a scene where a student held his partner back by the shoulders as he performed a monologue in the character of Capulet, Romeo’s father. This immediately sparked emotion into his speech, and the group were amazed by the effect the physical movement had on his delivery.
There were many great techniques that were explored throughout the session, such as the importance of rhythm – helping an actor to identify the most significant words that the audience need to hear. Many of they techniques that the students were learning about were not just great in terms of Shakespearian acting, but could be applied to acting of all kinds.
What I think it particularly great about this company, is that not only do they produce exciting, educational work – where they have the students in fits of laughter whilst activity participating and learning in the process – but also just how adaptable the team can be. Rubbish Shakespeare Company can literally create a bespoke project designed entirely around the aims and requirements of any school. All three RSC founders – Clem, Alex and Lee – are passionate about what they do, and this resonates from them during the delivery of their work.
The values of The Rubbish Shakespeare Company match up exactly with the values of One Day, and that is why we are very proud to be working with such a fabulous and inspiring company. Please get in touch to find out more about how we can bring Shakespeare’s plays alive in your school.