Bell Shakespeare: Shakespeare is Dead Review
Emma D and Millicent C review Shakespeare is Dead – a Year 7 Bell Shakespeare Learning Incursion held in the Theatre.
Year 7 had the privilege of watching the Bell Shakespeare Company Performance of Shakespeare is Dead in our school theatre. This comedic performance encompassed all things Shakespeare and helped us gain a better understanding of who he was, what he did, and what life was like back in those times. This witty performance included an analysis of his key themes and choices, and Shakespearian language presented in an original narrative. Overall, this was a highly enjoyable morning for the Year 7 students. Thank you to our English teachers for organising such a fun and informative performance.
Emma D - Year 7
Shakespeare. Do we really know who he is? In this play by Bell Shakespeare Players, we delve into multiple plays of Shakespeare, and hear a bit about the bard himself in the process. Well, it sounds like a bore you might say. Well, as a Year 7 student who is not a fan of literary analysis (and thought this play would be uninteresting), I was thinking - boring! However, this play portrays Shakespeare in fun, interesting ways. All the Year 7s were laughing along and listening intently.
What is for you in the play? Well, the play revolves around a girl who doesn’t understand Shakespeare and is uninterested in him, so if you are bored by Shakespeare then the storyline is easy for you to follow and relate to. Don’t worry, if you love Shakespeare there is also something for you. There is another actor who is shocked, angry and hurt at someone insulting Shakespeare and is determined to change her opinion. There is something for everyone in this play to relate to and learn from. How do the Bell Shakespeare Players make the play interesting? Personally, my highlights were when the actors jumped off the stage to interact with the students in the audience or when they invited students to help them with a fight scene. I loved the jokes they made around our language now and the similarities to the old language. They made jokes about the word, ‘rizz’ and how it was like a word people might not understand easily in a few years’ time, just like Shakespeare and how he wrote.
Bell Shakespeare is the national company of Shakespeare of Australia and have been doing their plays since 1990 (34 years!). I think the company performs their plays brilliantly and I give the company a perfect five out of five-star rating!
Millicent C – Year 7
