Marlowe Theatre Representatives Visit Royal Shakespeare Company

Students and a teacher from Canterbury Academy and a representative from The Marlowe Theatre travelled to the Royal Shakespeare Company's Stratford-Upon-Avon home to meet HRH The Prince Of Wales on Monday (2 June).

HRH, who is the RSC's President, was in Stratford to experience the work of the RSC's Learning And Performance Network, which stretches throughout the country and involves more than 400,000 students and their teachers. Each school works with the RSC and their local theatre to create the best experience of Shakespeare, both in the classroom and in performance.

As part of the visit, 12 schools, including Canterbury Academy, showcased a brief extract from their work on one of Shakespeare's plays before meeting HRH.

Annabel Taylor and Lucy Woodfine (both 15) and Rebecca Huckle, Extended Schools and Children's University Centre Manager, represented Canterbury Academy, who have been working on Henry IV. They are also about to start working with their seven cluster schools to promote practical approaches to Shakespeare locally.

Rebecca said it was a great honour to have been invited to attend such a prestigious event. "It was also good to be able to share what we have been doing as a school since joining the Learning And Performance Network. We have lots of ideas for the future and are feeling very inspired."

Annabel said she enjoyed visiting the RSC and meeting Prince Charles, adding: "I have been involved in Shakespeare since I joined the school, from performing in A Midsummer Night's Dream to studying Romeo And Juliet and being part of the front of house team when The RSC brought The Taming Of The Shrew here recently."

Daniel Lipman, Head of Creative Projects at The Marlowe Theatre, accompanied the students and Rebecca to Stratford.

Henry IV Parts I And II is currently at the RSC and will be visiting The Marlowe Theatre in November.