Rainford High School students have recently had the opportunity to take part in the country wide Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation Festival, performing The Tempest, at The Floral Pavillion Theater in New Brighton. Students were seleted from Year 8 and 9 to take part in this event, and it was enjoyed by all who was involved in creating the performance, as well as all who watched.
The Performing Arts team at Rainford High were extremely excited to be able to be a part of this festival for the first time, and give their students the opportuity to perform in such a beautiful theatre. The Tempest which begins the mighty Prospero using magic to conjures a storm to bring to the island he lives on those who betrayed him. With all shipwrecked surviors dispersed across the Island, Prospero plots with his spirit servant Ariel to get his kingdom back which by the end of the play he is successful in doing. They took the classic play and performed it with a modern twist. This included a human built ship and storm, the song Prisoner by Miley Cyrus and a company movement sequence to Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud.
Twenty-four students across Year 8 and 9 made up the cast, and despite differences in ages they all worked incredibly well together, giving support, encouragement and a sense of community throughout the rehearsal process and on show day.
Year 9 student Emma Harrison who played Prospero said, ‘It was really nice getting to do something we don’t get to do everyday, and I really enjoyed getting to play a character you wouldn’t get to be in everyday life. It was amazing to perform in a big theatre and I loved it!’.
Miss. Hett and Mrs Abbott, who were the teacher-directors for the performance said they were ‘so proud of all of the students involved and that they had worked so hard. The company came together with a real sense of enthusiasm, passion and focus that met every strand of our school ethos’.
We are very lucky as a Performing Arts team as we were able to work with such an incredibly talented cast, who contributed ideas within rehearsals as well as doing so well to learn and remember all of their lines in Shakesperian text!
All staff and students had such a fantastic time working on this production, allowing the younger generation to be exposed to the great work of William Shakespeare in a relatable, fun and engaging way, whilst also embedding their love for the performing arts.