Shakespeare Schools Fest draws big crowds

17 September 2015

 

For four nights last week, the Fringe Theatre in Braamfontein reverberated to the prose of William Shakespeare as learners from 12 schools in and around Johannesburg entertained a lively audience of parents, siblings, fellow pupils and relatives.

 

Dubbed the Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa 2015, the mouth-watering event was put together by the Joburg Theatre’s Youth Development Unit in partnership with EDUCAPE, uniting learners from affluent areas and township schools to offer them what the organisers described as “a life-changing opportunity to engage with one another across the barriers of language and background through education and community building”.

 

Apart from providing primary and high school learners with the opportunity to engage their education curriculum for the first time on a professional stage regardless of background, ability or location, the festival also exposed learners to a range of career prospects in the arts and entertainment industry.

 

Delivered in a thrilling but non-competitive environment, the festival was also aimed at building capacity and character. It allowed learners to explore aptitudes in a range of fields. On the opening night on Wednesday, learners from the Rising Star Academy lived up to their school’s name by delivering a fitting rendition of Twelfth Night.

 

The 12-member cast’s flawless acting – with doses of South African twists throughout – had the audience in awe. Not to be outdone, the Centurion Christian School made sure there was a lot of buzz with their Much Ado About Nothing performance. All members of the 18-strong cast had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands.

 
Both schools and their theatre teachers received standing ovations at the end of their performances.

 

The festivities continued on Thursday night with the Twelfth Night performance by The Oprah Winfrey School, while Ruimsig Academy entertained the audience with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Naledi High School rounded up the evening with the enduring love story of Romeo and Juliet.

 

Friday night was the turn of The Kings College with a stirring performance of The Merchant of Venice, while Masibambane College Senior entertained with Macbeth. The Methodz Acting Academy was on hand to wow the crowd with Much Ado About Nothing.

 

To round off the festival, Parktown High School for Girls and Mondeor High School each performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, while Zakariyya Park Primary delivered Romeo and Juliet. Nondumiso Sithole, the City’s acting Youth Development Manager, said the festival was “a resounding success”.

 

“Naledi High School brought down the house on Thursday night with its interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. It was so South African it was amazing,” she said.

 

“Not to be out done, Zakariyya Park High School was brilliant with its performance of Macbeth.”

 

She said she and her team were already working on next year’s festival, with plans to include deaf performers in the lineup. She also confirmed that some plays will be translated into three local languages - isiZulu, Sesotho and isiXhosa.