National Theatre brought Shakespeare to Tameside schools

PUPILS from a number of Tameside schools have enjoyed world class performances of the Shakespeare play Hamlet performed by the prestigious National Theatre.

The programme, organised in partnership with Tameside Council, and its Arts and Engagement team, included practical workshops, to introduce children to Shakespeare –including plot, characters and language - in a fun and interactive way. The workshops began on the 6 February and ran until the end of the week. Both the practical workshops and the performances have successfully engaged the young minds of the schools visited. The National Theatre also delivered a session for Tameside teachers.

Primary schools that took part in the workshop opportunity were:

• Holden Clough Community Primary School
• Dowson Primary Academy
• Gee Cross Holy Trinity Primary School
• Livingstone Primary and Nursery School
• Micklehurst All Saints CE Primary School
• Oasis Academy Broadoak
• Hurst Knoll Primary School
• St. George’s Primary School
• St. Joseph’s Primary School
• St. Christopher’s RC Primary School
• Moorside Primary Academy
• Greenside Primary School
• Manchester Road Primary Academy
• St. Mary’s CE Primary School

The Arts and Engagement team also worked with the National Theatre to co create an Arts Award discover log which selected year 7 students from the host secondary schools will complete linked to the performance.

While 65-minute performances of Hamlet, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A with the company, produced by The National Theatre, ran in the host secondary schools from 14 February to 17 February. The secondary schools that participated were Great Ashton Academy, Alder Community High School, Droylsden Academy, and Mossley Hollins High School.

As a result of The National Theatre’s work, 1,200 pupils across Tameside got the chance to experience Hamlet through high quality acting.

Cllr Sangita Patel, Assistant Executive Member - Culture, Heritage & Digital Inclusivity, said: “It has been our pleasure to have welcomed the National Theatre to Tameside the past couple of weeks. We have thoroughly enjoyed these special performances, which have engaged and entertained the pupils. As a result, we aim to inspire young minds to take an interest in understanding the art of literature, so we are able to continue to pass it onto future generations to come.”

Cllr Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Education, Achievement and Equalities, said: “We are extremely proud and delighted to have had the chance to host The National Theatre here in Tameside for the past two weeks. The pupils that have had the fantastic opportunity of experiencing such an interactive and engaging version of the renowned play, Hamlet, have been thoroughly entertained and inspired to find joy in the art form of literature. We look to continue to encourage the interaction and inspiration for English Literature.”