The bus was fizzing with eager Y10 and Y11 English students keen to experience the second Woodham theatre trip of this academic year.
On Thursday 16th March, 46 Woodham students went to watch Imitating the Dog’s retold story of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth at Durham Gala Theatre, a play that students are studying as part of their GCSE Literature course.
The play opened with three mysterious figures entering the stage. They talk of the hurly-burly, of thunder and lightening, and of a young couple who believe they can overthrow the old regime. They conjure the Macbeths, placing them in a dangerous new world where paranoia, betrayal and brutality rule.
This production of Macbeth saw the fusion of live action and innovative technology placing this classic story in the modern day. This thriller collided Shakespeare’s original language with new scenes and ideas giving the two central characters an interesting and plausible back story that helped the audience to understand their bloody actions.
The theatre trip was part of the department’s vision to show students other worlds and help them to be able to express their world to others. For some of the students it was the first time that they had been to the theatre and after hearing their enthusiastic reviews on the way home, it will not be their last!
Mrs I’Anson, Head of English, said, “It was such a lovely experience for staff and students and one that we believe will not only help students with their understanding of a text that we study but also an opportunity for them to see what going to the theatre is all about. Students were immaculately behaved throughout the whole trip making their parents, the community and the school very proud. I’m looking forward to organising our next theatre trip.”