The reviews for the stage version of Shakespeare in Love have been gushing. Critics have described the production as a ‘swooning delight’, ‘deliciously funny’, and ‘riotously enjoyable’, with one reviewer even claiming it ‘makes you feel grateful to be alive’. Getting universal five-star reviews sets the bar high and educational resources associated with a fab piece of theatre have a lot to live up to. So, can they match the excellence on stage or do they let the side down? If you haven’t seen this sweeping romantic comedy yet then here’s a nutshell synopsis. Set in London in 1593, talented but struggling young playwright Will Shakespeare is plagued by writer’s block as he attempts to write Romeo and Ethel, the Pirates Daughter. Then he falls head over heels in love with Viola De Lesseps, a stage-struck, passionate noblewoman. Their forbidden love unblocks his creative constipation and inspires Warwickshire Will to pen the greatest love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet. Featuring a company of 28 actors and musicians and a dog, this highly-acclaimed play brims over with colour, character and life. Now, if you are studying Shakespeare in Love and you are planning a visit to the Noel Coward theatre in London to watch it then you will want to get your hands on a cracking new education programme that has been especially written for the play consisting of teacher packs, lesson plans, pupil worksheets and activities perfect for English, drama and history at KS3 and 4. The resource packs can all be downloaded as pdf files from the website and there is certainly plenty to go at. The teachers’ introduction is the obvious place to start and this ‘welcome to the programme’ resource tells us what to expect. There are eight lessons available, each lasting between 45 and 60 minutes with the familiar framework of starter, structured discussion, classroom task and plenary along with follow-up and extension ideas. Added to this there are seven quality worksheets and five equally good resource sheets to furnish the lessons. For pre-show preparations there are two cross-curricular lessons to set the scene where students predict how Shakespearean England will be represented on stage in terms of the set, costume and performance. They are then introduced to some of the main characters and extracts from the script to explore some plot-establishing lines spoken by Shakespeare and his muse. All this is solid stuff for whetting the appetite and for getting the brain juices moving. After seeing the show, there are three themes to select from to continue the journey and keep the play alive for students. You can select from Inspiration and Creativity in Literature, Writing Techniques and Devices, and Society and State Control in Elizabethan England. What I like about the materials is that they have been written for Key Stage 3 and 4 – by selecting the appropriate Key Stage, you are teaching safe in the knowledge that you are tapping into the appropriate materials. How do the lessons measure up? I think extremely well. They all benefit from starting with a clear overview describing the main objective and what students will learn before leading into the key vocabulary you will be using and the worksheet required. The structured discussions are very useful because they pose questions and come with a Teacher Note for extra support and inspiration. They are just the job for getting students to think and work together in small groups and to spark interaction between them. The themes you select will be personal preference but they all offer something special. One theme involves the pupils reviewing the play within a play and reflecting on the fictional and true events in Shakespeare’s life. Another encourages students to think about how different audiences and media require a range of writing techniques and devices to tell the same story. In a further theme, students engage with evidence and reflect on the fact that the play is just one interpretation of how things were in Elizabethan times and that this interpretation is wide open to debate. To add further value to the resources on offer there are three videos to access, which delve into the early life of Mr Shakespeare, staging the Oscar-winning film and designing the West End play. It’s just a shame there weren’t more of them. Disney, can you up the number, to match your Lion King resource? This is a very teacher- and student-friendly resource that will undoubtedly enhance a visit to the play itself and help learners piece together their ideas and feelings once back at school. The materials are challenging but achievable, motivating and thought-provoking, and as an overall package they have been well-written and pitched perfectly. There are zillions of opportunities for discussion based activities, acting, writing and rewriting, reviewing, researching and homework. If you want to see the play then by jove, jolly well do and get stuck into the world of theatre at its best. It will cost you £15 per pupil for balcony seats and another ten pounds on top of that if you opt for stalls, Royal Circle and Grand Circle. You get to go for nothing! And if you book then you get all the resources discussed here for free. CONTACT: WWW.SHAKESPEAREINLOVEEDUCATION.COM REVIEWED BY: JOHN DABELL PRODUCT REVIEW | Shakespeare in Love Education Programme SUBSCRIBE AT TEACHSECONDARY.COM 83 MONEY TALKS Bamzonia is an instant solution to meeting the new PFE curriculum objectives. • 47 Lessons cover all UK curriculum requirements • No teacher training needed • Combines interactive, on-line lessons quizzes and games • Includes a complete set of lesson plans so minimal lesson preparation • Progress monitoring and marking is automated • Students are engaged and entertained while building their financial confidence • Bamzonia delivers comprehensive PFE for KS3 & 4 students “It absolutely nails that part of the curriculum” Head of ICT, MMHS Rochdale. Contact [email protected] (0845 5051 750) VERDICT: WELL PLAYED This is the sort of resource that feels good to engage with and visit, knowing that wherever you look, you will find something to make you ponder. Well done, Disney. Shakespeare in Love Education Programme