From the English Department

It has been a busy time for English at SAC, with the Year 9s, Year 10s and Year 11s all having incursions in recent weeks!

Year 9 Poetry Workshops with David Chapple

In Week 2, David Chapple led our Year 9 students in a poetry workshop. This was a hands-on workshop with lots of chances for students to write and share their own poems. Students were inspired to ‘just write’, getting their ideas down quickly. By the end of the 90 minute session, each student had written an impressive five poems! They were guided to write about diverse topics, such as their approach to spiders, the last time they got mad, and the idea of meeting their parent as they were as a teenager.

Dave inspired our students to be honest and “have the strength to put a little bit of themselves on the page”. It was great to see so many of our students get up and share what they had written!

Year 11 Bell Shakespeare Performance: ‘Macbeth: The Rehearsal’

In Week 3, three performers from the Bell Shakespeare company performed this enthusiastic piece of theatre for our Year 11 students, inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The players energetically brought scenes from Macbeth to life, while also helping the audience to understand the motivations of different characters and the significance of Shakespeare’s dialogue and plot. This was an action-filled performance, with sword fighting and much drama! There were several opportunities for audience participation, with students stepping in as Banquo and the witches in different scenes. Our own Mr Coultas even got to be King Duncan, giving a dramatic portrayal of the king’s unfortunate demise.

Overall this was a fun and engaging performance.

Year 10 Bell Shakespeare Performance: ‘Such Sweet Sorrow’

Our Year 10 students have all been studying Romeo and Juliet in their English classes, so it was a real treat to see this performance from Bell Shakespeare company. The three performers immersed us in Romeo and Juliet’s story, helping our students to see how the conflict between the Capulets and Montagues led to a sorrowful end for these ill-fated lovers. Again there was sword-fighting, drama, and tragedy but this time with plenty of romance as well. The players inhabited each of the many characters they played with great skill and their passion for the play was clear.

After the performance, students enthusiastically took on the opportunity to ask questions, asking all about the play, Shakespeare’s intentions and the performers’ advice on pursuing a career in acting. Below are some of their comments on the experience.

“We absolutely loved the performance and the atmosphere that was created between the audience and the actors and the interactive element of the play. We found the actors made the play more humorous, resulting in laughs and smiles from the audience, and captivating our attention. We also enjoyed that they were open to questions and they were really friendly and interested in the responses, making it more meaningful. We really hope they come back again!”  Holly K and Lucy D

“The performance was such an enjoyment. Every second of it was a blast, watching them made me light up with delight. I shared quite a few laughs with friends. And got to interact with the performers after!” Maja B

“Being able to watch the Bell Shakespeare performance of Romeo and Juliet was such an amazing experience and was so fun to be part of. The actors were engaging and made the performance very fun and interactive for the entire Year 10 cohort. I loved the entire show and was mesmerized by their incredible acting skills. Staying back after the show and getting to know the actors was my favourite part as I got to learn all about them, their life as an actor, and their journey of becoming a Bell Shakespeare performer. As someone who loves Shakespeare’s work, this show was absolutely incredible and made me love his work even more.” Ella C

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