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On Monday 13th March, 47 pupils from Mr Hodges’ Year 10 and 11 classes travelled to London to see a production of The Tempest at Shakespeare’s Globe. This was an invaluable opportunity — provided by the Globe in partnership with Deutsche Bank — for the pupils to watch an exciting live performance of their set GCSE text, especially adapted into a condensed 90-minute production for schools. 

We left school at the end of period 2, travelling by coach to London. After a short walk around the back of Bankside — where we passed the site of the former Rose Theatre (a contemporary of the original Globe) and Bear Gardens, where the alternative early seventeenth century form of entertainment was offered — we made our way to the Globe itself. We had time to enjoy lunch al fresco, with views over the Thames, St. Paul’s and the City. 

Walking through the iron gates that mark the piazza outside the world-famous reconstructed playhouse, we were greeted by a steward who provided us with programmes and welcomed us to the theatre. Taking our seats, a sense of anticipation built as the yard filled with the hubbub of other schools (perhaps a little too much hubbub for our liking!). Then the performance began… 

The set was incredible, featuring bright pink rocks and giant metallic spheres, which complemented the actors’ vibrant costumes perfectly. The play itself was incredibly well executed, keeping the essence of the original whilst making it both accessible and engaging. Another lovely touch was the programme which was provided to each of us, free of charge, which contains some useful information about the play’s history in performance, the key themes explored, and a selection of key quotations for revision. 

In all, the day really allowed us to consolidate our knowledge of the play and see it brought to life in a way that can only be achieved outside of the classroom and in the ‘wooden O’ for which it was originally intended. 

Mr Tugby