 |
|
|
 Institutional |
| Events |
| Scholarships |
|
| |
|
|
|
 There are experiences that are turning points in our lives. That is why May and August 2008 are two moments that I will always treasure, given that they changed me both at a professional and at a personal level. In May 2008, I was awarded the Shakespeare in Stratford Scholarship by the English Speaking Union and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. These two international charities are concerned with fostering cultural links and international understanding through the use of the English Language, and in this particular case, through the promotion and study of the Shakespearean theatre, text and world. In August 2008, I travelled to Stratford Upon Avon to share the truly hands-on experience of a week long seminar in Shakespeare with delegates from the world over. All of us Literature, Drama and Language teachers were given the unique opportunity to delve into the Bard’s play-texts and to explore the places where he lived and worked guided by Shakespearean experts and scholars. This gave us an insight into the study and teaching of Shakespeare at the same time as it allowed us to explore new grounds and perspectives.
 The Shakespeare in Stratford Cultural Seminar started on August 3rd as a truly intercultural meeting when all of us delegates from India, Mauritius, Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Chile, Wales, France and Argentina met for the first time at an informal dinner at Linhill House, one of our lively and cozy guesthouses. We soon discovered why we were all there –we felt the same passion for literature and drama and were equally excited about the programme; we shared aim to move away from bookish education and to delve into hands-on meaningful learning experiences and teaching practices; we all believed in the educational value of raising intercultural awareness and mutual understanding through language teaching. We talked for hours about the Programme, Shakespeare, Stratford and ourselves, the main protagonists of our course, which we could not wait to start and explore.
 As to the Programme, we had a wonderful time during our six-day stay in Stratford and our one-day visit to Darmouth House, the ESU headquarters in London. We became gradually interested in and better acquainted with the ESU’s mission, active role and activities as we met its Heads and Representatives. On our first day at the Shakespeare Centre, we were warmly welcomed and introduced to the course by Gillian Parker, Cultural Affairs Officer of the ESU. We had lunch with Paul Edmondson, Head of Education of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, with whom we eagerly discussed the Shakespearean word/world and our own as well as cultural unity within diversity. In London, we had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Valerie Mitchell, Director of the ESU, who gave us a tour of the majestic Darmouth House while she told us everything about its history. Over lunch with her we truly experienced how the meeting of cultures through English can lay foundations for solid integration and communal understanding.
 As to Shakespeare, our seminars and workshops, on both Hamlet and The Taming of the Shrew, the plays we saw at the Courtyard Theatre, proved to be illuminating and thought-provoking. All the Hamlet pre-performance lectures delivered by Nick Walton brought the play back to life, and our lively discussions conjured up the right scenario for us to truly empathise with the existentialist dichotomy “to be or not to be”. We were all dumbstruck by an eloquent and outstanding performance by the Royal Shakespearean Company starring David Tenant and Patrick Stewart. We saw the play on “Press Night” so we actually critiqued the play over drinks at the pub before the reviews came out! It goes without saying that the following morning we bought all papers to check whether or not the critics agreed with us! For our post-performance discussion, we had another treat: we interviewed Cressida Brown, Assistant Director of the play, who told us everything not only about Hamlet and the stage but also about the backstage. The Taming of the Shrew pre-performance lectures given by Penny Freedman helped us develop a more acute perception of the Elizabethan stage and script so that we could decipher and enjoy the multi-layered language and format of the play. Once again, our post-performance discussions at the pub were thus truly insightful.
As to Stratford, we were initiated into Shakespeare, the Stratfordian man, or Stratford the Shakespearean town, by Roger Pringle’s lectures which aroused the necessary curiosity and fascination for us to make the most of our visits to all the buildings which reconstructed Shakespeare’s life right before our eyes: the Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Mary Arden’s Place, Hall’s Croft, Nash’s House and New Place, Holy Trinity Church… We also walked the town’s meandering streets and explored all its historical trails. We punted and paddled through the Avon and were gladly surprised by an unusual performance of The Tempest by amateur young actors at the open air Dell Theatre. What is more, we also experienced a rite of passage into the Shakespearean Stage in our Shakespearean language, drama, voice, wigs, makeup and dress workshops, by Claire Neilson, Paul Greenwood and Brenda Leedham, each of which helped us further read into the plays we saw, read and even performed ourselves.
As to ourselves, the Shakespeare in Stratford Course not only helped us broaden our own views, sharpen our critical skills and adopt a more reflective teaching practice. It also allowed us to put theory into practice experiencing how Shakespearean texts travel well through time and place bridging the gap between the stage and the page. We all read ourselves into the Brad’s works sharing and construing culture-specific universes of meaning. In this life-changing Cultural Seminar, we—Hilda, Deeya, Noel, Katrien, Elizabeth, Laura, Donna, Mayla, Nancy, Pamela, Liuba, Morgan, Florencia— truly lived the ESU’s “international understanding and friendship through the use of the English Language”. We were “Shakespearised” by the experience at the same time as we “multiculturalised” it, a turning point for us all.
Florencia Perduca
St Catherine’s Moorlands
Stratford Cultural Seminar 2008
|
|
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION ARGENTINA
“Creating global understanding through English”
Shakespeare in Stratford
ESU Argentina has selected Ms. Verónica Storni Fricke, a brilliant Secondary School Literature Teacher at Tarbut School, to attend the Shakespeare Study Course in Stratford-upon-Avon
|
The 2009 ESU Shakespeare Study Course Shakespeare in Stratford
The study course on Shakespeare was for me a dream come true. Thanks to the ESU scholarship a dialogue has been opened with colleagues from all over the world about innovative approaches to teaching Shakespeare. Stratford-upon-Avon keeps the atmosphere of Shakespeare’s times in such a way that the context of production seems to be brought to life once more. What is more, the overall emphasis of the course was on knowledge and awareness of the whole phenomenon of what is meant by Shakespeare in England.
Most events in the programme were aimed at linking the text to performance. In fact, I gained new enthusiasm to teach Shakespeare with fresher methods: I realised how the focus should not be on comprehension alone, but the impact of the plays relies on performance te
 |
chniques as well. This dawned on me for instance thanks to the drama workshop, the voice class and the emphasis on the dramatisation or learning the lines by heart. I also found it very enriching to see how some countries are trying to break away from the myth of Shakespeare as a canonical author at university level with the aim of making the texts enjoyable and relevant and not just the domain of an elite. It was rewarding to share how in Argentina we have managed to make Shakespeare ours by applying literary theory to literature teaching.
On the other hand, the greatest gift for me was being in Stratford-upon-Avon itself: no words can describe the reality and tangibility of the context itself. I particularly loved visiting Shakespeare’s grave in Holy Trinity Church and could really get the feel of the times. It was also a luxury to have the opportunity to consult experts like Stanley Wells, Roger Pringle, Nick Walton and Penny Freedman on my own postgraduate research, which is the body in Shakespeare’s plays, and to have access to the library of the Shakespeare centre, which holds a magnificent collection of books.
Last but not least, I found it most insightful that two such outstanding actors of the Royal Shakespeare Company as Greg Hicks and John Mackay should speak about their profession, their role in the creation of the characters and their own views of different performances and directors’ choices, for instance with respect to breaking the fourth wall.
Thanks to the ESU I could experience what I devoted part of my life to researching and to teaching. I intend to go on sharing ideas with colleagues and use this newly gained enthusiasm in both the secondary and tertiary school classroom so that Shakespeare may still be alive and speak to us.
Verónica Storni Fricke.
|
THE ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION ARGENTINA
CULTURAL SEMINAR
 In August, 15 teachers joined the second Stratford Study Course,
organised by the ESU and the Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust,
whose collaboration has already resulted in the hugely successful
Great Shakespeare Debate. The week-long course of plays,
lectures, discussions and workshops, devised and delivered by
Shakespearian experts in Stratford-upon-Avon, is aimed at
teachers, professors and enthusiasts of theatre, the English
language and Shakespeare.
Delegates from England and Wales, India, Mauritius, the USA,
Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Estonia, France, Latvia and Russia
travelled to Stratford for the programme, where they enjoyed
performances of Hamlet and The Taming of the Shrew at the
Courtyard Theatre. The course also included visits to all of the
houses owned and cared for by the Trust including Shakespeare's
Birthplace where delegates learnt about Shakespeare’s childhood
and what his life was like in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Other destinations included the elegant Nash's House, owned by
Thomas Nash, the first husband of Shakespeare’s granddaughter,
New Place, the site of Shakespeare's town house and Hall’s Croft,
the family abode of his daughter Susanna. A trip to Shottery to visit
Anne Hathaway’s cottage, Mary Arden’s house and the Shakespeare
Countryside Museum, childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother,
gave further insights to the Bard’s life.
The Stratford Study Course, run by Dr Paul Edmondson, Head
of Education at the Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust, included
post-performance discussions, workshops on Elizabethan wigs
and makeup and question and answer sessions.
There was also time to travel to Dartmouth House. Guests were
welcomed here by Valerie Mitchell, who gave them an insight into
the workings of the ESU, its aims and programmes. She then
awarded them all with certificates before presiding over a
celebratory luncheon.
Afterwards, participants took a tour of London following a talk by
Gillian Parker, Cultural Affairs Officer.
Our sincere thanks go to Dr Edmondson, Gennet Rich and all at the
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust and to the Garfield Weston
Foundation for their generous sponsorship.
“As a result of the Stratford Study Course, I feel like I have
finally ‘met’ Shakespeare and I am looking forward to teaching
Shakespeare to my students in a much more engaging manner
than I was able to do in the past. Spending the week studying
Shakespeare with teachers from around the world was also a
wonderful experience.”
|
|
|
THE ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION ARGENTINA
SHAKESPEARE IN STRATFORD
Dear Colleague,
The English Speaking Union, London, is offering ESU Argentina a scholarship, covering tuition, theatre trips, and accommodation (breakfast included), to attend a week long Shakespeare Study Course which will be held in Stratford-upon-Avon, from Sunday, 3 August to Saturday, 9 August 2008. ESU Argentina will not be able to cover the cost of the return flight, Buenos Aires-London.
Participants will atend a week of Shakespeare plays, lectures, discussions, and workshops devised and delivered by Shakespearian experts. Please, go to www.esu.org.ar for last years report and programme.
This scholarship is open to ESU Member Schools, directed specially to experienced Literature Teachers, Argentine born, who have an up-to-date passport. To apply, please send:
- A covering letter explaining your interest and suitability for this scholarship.
- Your C.V.
- A letter of recommendation from your Head Teacher, i.e. the person who represents the interests of your school vis-à-vis the ESU.
- An additional letter of recommendation from a senior teacher or tutor who is aware of your special professional capabilities.
The information requested above should be posted to:
Sra.Teresa Davis
Cerrito 1514, 1A
1010 Buenos Aires
The closing date for all applications received at the above address is May16th, 2008.
We are looking forward to receiving applications from your school.
| |
Malcolm J. Rodman
Chairman ESU Argentina
The Executive Committee |
|
|
|
THE ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION ARGENTINA
THE GLOBE CULTURAL SEMINAR
Shakespeare and his Stage
|
|
 |
 |
The English Speaking Union offered scholarships
to teachers from various parts of the world,
to attend a Cultural Seminar, held in London
in August. I had the privilege and the pleasure
of being chosen to represent Argentina. The
Seminar was held at The Globe Theatre in Southwark,
and the topic was Shakespeare and His Stage,
focusing particularly on The Winter’s
Tale, Pericles and The Tempest.
The Seminar started in August 14th. That day
I met the rest of the teachers, coming from
countries such as Bulgaria, Latvia, Mauritius,
Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Mongolia, Russia,
Armenia, Lebanon, and many others. We were
all equally excited and anxious to share our
very different experiences and techniques
in the teaching of Shakespeare’s plays.
The first activity we were invited to share
was ‘The Shakespeare Rally’, which
had us walking about the streets of London
for several hours, looking for paintings and
sculptures of Shakespeare. This gave us a
chance to taste some of the magic of the city
while admiring great pieces of art such as
the Chandos portrait in the National Portrait
Gallery, or the statue in Leicester Square,
or the breathtaking glass window in Southwark
Cathedral. Back at the Globe we attended a
workshop, to exchange our opinions on the
diverse pieces of art, and how effective they
were at transmitting the universality and
timeless nature of Shakespeare´s work.
The seminar was designed to cater for the
different interests and expectations of such
a motley crowd. And it was really successful
at that. We had the chance to engage in a
variety of workshops and sessions that also
allowed us to witness what happens behind
the scenes when a play goes on stage.
The regular staff at The Globe, were generous
enough to let us into their secrets as active
members of their team. That is to say that
we had the chance to work with Glynn MacDonald,
the theatre´s Master of Movement or
Giles Block, Master of Voice. Wardrobe was
not overlooked, and for us to delve into this
topic, Jenny Tiramani, an expert in this area,
showed us what it takes to make the actors
look like true Elizabethan men and women.
It was amazing to see the professionalism
with which they design each garment and the
extraordinary lengths they go to to manufacture
it according to the fashion of the time.
On Wednesday, we were invited to a delightful
dinner at Dartmouth House, the ESU headquarters
in London. It was an unforgettable evening,
hosted generously by Mrs. Valerie Mitchell
and her team. We were also joined by the Director
of The Globe Theatre, Mr. Patrick Spottiswoode,
with whom I had the pleasure to share the
table.
The highlight of the week was to be able to
watch the plays at The Globe. We attended
three different performances, each of them
outstanding. I stood during the three hour
performance of The Winter’s Tale. To
be able to have that proximity to the stage
and the actors, to actually lean on the stage
and feel the magic coming from it was just
overwhelming. I was completely mesmerized,
feeling the way I imagine Shakespeare must
have wanted his audience to feel when he wrote
those wonderful words.
After this amazing performance, we had the
honour of having a private talk with Yolanda
Vazquez, Hermione in The Winter’s Tale.
It was an incredibly enriching experience.
She explained what it took to build this character,
and the choices she made while working on
it. A male actor was also present, who played
Hermione in an all-male company. His view
on how to play a woman, and specially a pregnant
woman was most revealing, and it led me to
imagine how it must have been for actors in
The Elizabethan Theatre. The presence of a
female and a male actor made the interview
all the more interesting, since we were able
to compare views and experiences from quite
different points of view.
This seminar has given me the possibility
to broaden my view of Shakespeare, his plays
and the theatre in general. My education so
far has been mostly academic, and this invaluable
opportunity given to me by The English Speaking
Union has made me become a more complete teacher.
I have now seen the plays come to life, and
I have also witnessed what it takes to make
that miracle happen. For all this I am incredibly
grateful and more committed than ever to transmit
my wonder to my students.
Maria M. D’Adamo |
The English Speaking Union offered scholarships
to teachers from various parts of the world,
to attend a Cultural Seminar, held in London
in August. I had the privilege and the pleasure
of being chosen to represent Argentina. The
Seminar was held at The Globe Theatre in Southwark,
and the topic was Shakespeare and His Stage,
focusing particularly on The Winter’s
Tale, Pericles and The Tempest.
The Seminar started in August 14th. That day
I met the rest of the teachers, coming from
countries such as Bulgaria, Latvia, Mauritius,
Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Mongolia, Russia,
Armenia, Lebanon, and many others. We were
all equally excited and anxious to share our
very different experiences and techniques
in the teaching of Shakespeare’s plays.
The first activity we were invited to share
was ‘The Shakespeare Rally’, which
had us walking about the streets of London
for several hours, looking for paintings and
sculptures of Shakespeare. This gave us a
chance to taste some of the magic of the city
while admiring great pieces of art such as
the Chandos portrait in the National Portrait
Gallery, or the statue in Leicester Square,
or the breathtaking glass window in Southwark
Cathedral. Back at the Globe we attended a
workshop, to exchange our opinions on the
diverse pieces of art, and how effective they
were at transmitting the universality and
timeless nature of Shakespeare´s work.
The seminar was designed to cater for the
different interests and expectations of such
a motley crowd. And it was really successful
at that. We had the chance to engage in a
variety of workshops and sessions that also
allowed us to witness what happens behind
the scenes when a play goes on stage.
The regular staff at The Globe, were generous
enough to let us into their secrets as active
members of their team. That is to say that
we had the chance to work with Glynn MacDonald,
the theatre´s Master of Movement or
Giles Block, Master of Voice. Wardrobe was
not overlooked, and for us to delve into this
topic, Jenny Tiramani, an expert in this area,
showed us what it takes to make the actors
look like true Elizabethan men and women.
It was amazing to see the professionalism
with which they design each garment and the
extraordinary lengths they go to to manufacture
it according to the fashion of the time.
On Wednesday, we were invited to a delightful
dinner at Dartmouth House, the ESU headquarters
in London. It was an unforgettable evening,
hosted generously by Mrs. Valerie Mitchell
and her team. We were also joined by the Director
of The Globe Theatre, Mr. Patrick Spottiswoode,
with whom I had the pleasure to share the
table.
The highlight of the week was to be able to
watch the plays at The Globe. We attended
three different performances, each of them
outstanding. I stood during the three hour
performance of The Winter’s Tale. To
be able to have that proximity to the stage
and the actors, to actually lean on the stage
and feel the magic coming from it was just
overwhelming. I was completely mesmerized,
feeling the way I imagine Shakespeare must
have wanted his audience to feel when he wrote
those wonderful words.
After this amazing performance, we had the
honour of having a private talk with Yolanda
Vazquez, Hermione in The Winter’s Tale.
It was an incredibly enriching experience.
She explained what it took to build this character,
and the choices she made while working on
it. A male actor was also present, who played
Hermione in an all-male company. His view
on how to play a woman, and specially a pregnant
woman was most revealing, and it led me to
imagine how it must have been for actors in
The Elizabethan Theatre. The presence of a
female and a male actor made the interview
all the more interesting, since we were able
to compare views and experiences from quite
different points of view.
This seminar has given me the possibility
to broaden my view of Shakespeare, his plays
and the theatre in general. My education so
far has been mostly academic, and this invaluable
opportunity given to me by The English Speaking
Union has made me become a more complete teacher.
I have now seen the plays come to life, and
I have also witnessed what it takes to make
that miracle happen. For all this I am incredibly
grateful and more committed than ever to transmit
my wonder to my students.
Maria M. D’Adamo |
I had the real pleasure of having been granted a scholarship by The English Speaking Union. I was selected to represent Argentina at a Seminar that consisted of a one-week Study Course on Shakespeare in Stratford upon Avon from July 29th to August 4th.
After being a Language and Literature teacher for so many years, I had always wanted to study abroad and due to different circumstances, I had never been able to do so. It was then when one of my life-long dreams was about to come true.
 |
I arrived in Stratford upon Avon on Sunday, July 29th. Eleven delegates from different parts of the world and I were warmly welcomed in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust where the whole course would take place. The Trust is an independent charitable group whose aims are to promote knowledge and appreciation of Shakespeare `s work and to maintain the Shakespearean properties as part of the national heritage. Katie Brock, Head of International and Cultural Programmes of the ESU, Gillian Parker, Cultural Affairs Officer of the ESU, and Paul Edmondson, Head of Education of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust were friendly waiting for us when we arrived.
The course dealt with the plays in the current repertoire of the Royal Shakespeare Company: Richard II, Henry IV parts I and II and The Penelopiad. During the whole week I had the chance to engage in a great variety of activities such as: lectures by members of the academic staff of the institute and the Trust on plays to be seen, discussion classes on the productions, information on earlier productions of members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, drama workshops, make up and wigs demonstration, voice lessons and walks around the Shakespearean properties such as Shakespeare `s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway `s Cottage and New Place, and also a visit to Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare and his family `s graves lie.
 |
When this great experience was not yet over, we were invited to a delightful lunch at Dartmouth House, the ESU headquarters in London, hosted generously by Mrs. Valerie Mitchell, Director of the ESU, and her team. Afterwards, we were given the opportunity to go on a city tour around London. Last but not least, on our last evening in Stratford-upon- Avon we had dinner at an elegant restaurant where we all received a warm farewell.
I liked the fact of having had the possibility of taking part in such a rich course. There was a taste for everyone, and although our days were quite hectic, I would say I was always eager to go on to the next activity as everything was so attractive and dynamic. I would also like to add that all the organizers, teachers and lecturers I met were really kind and especially so generous to share all they knew about Shakespeare with us and so passionate about him that you could really feel as if Shakespeare was still alive. These people made me feel so curious about everything concerning Shakespeare, his life and work I felt like learning more and more about each thing that was said about this great playwright.
Furthermore, they always made me feel very comfortable and always valued everything I had to say about anything. I really felt as if I were at home. What is more, the guesthouse where I stayed was extremely cozy and I let myself be spoiled by my sweet landlord and landlady, Richard and Sue. Needless to say, Stratford was a magic place where you could feel everyone was a Shakespeare lover and that made the whole thing even more wonderful. Everything, everyone and everywhere spoke about Shakespeare.
And lastly, I also want to mention how interesting it was to meet people from different parts of the world. In spite of our cultural diversity, we were all there for the same cause: “Shakespeare”. And despite our various languages, we could all communicate with each other in “English”. That was the moment when I could understand the aim of The English Speaking Union: “global understanding through English…”
This has been a unique and awesome experience I will never forget! This course has given me the chance to learn a lot about Shakespeare, his plays and the theatre in general. My education so far has been mainly academic, and this invaluable opportunity has made me become a more complete person and teacher. Now I can say I have been able to complete my studies by “feeling” that everything I have always learnt, read, taught about Shakespeare has come to life and there is much more to Shakespeare than just reading his plays, we can listen to them, act them on stage, enjoy them… and I hope I can now transmit all this to my students!!
Thank you for this great experience!!
Natalia Galarce
Language and Literature teacher of English |
I had heard about the English-Speaking Union and its public speaking and singing competitions at the school I have been working for years. However, when I was granted a full scholarship to attend the Cultural Seminar for Teachers at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, little did I know what the real meaning of the ‘English-Speaking Union’ was.
As soon as I arrived at Bankside House, our accommodation, I began to get an inkling of the meaning of those words. There I was in the lobby in the middle of a buzz of people from different countries. Yet, it was not until the next day that we, the participants, became aware of what being surrounded by eighteen different nationalities joined by the same language really meant. There were people from countries as remote, for us Argentinians, as Mauritius, Mongolia, Lebanon, Hong Kong, Thailand, Armenia and Russia, among others.
Nonetheless, we felt at ease from the very beginning when we were asked to walk along the Thames River to get to the Amphibious Bus. That was the moment to get to know one another. The Amphibious Bus took us around the most important sights of London, and the small waves that came lapped against us and soaked us when we dived into the Thames added up to all the fun.
When we arrived at the Globe, we met Patrick Spottiswoode, the Director of Education of the Globe Theatre and a passionate supporter of the founder of the Shakespeare Globe Trust, Sam Wanamaker, who could never see his dream of building a replica of the Globe come true. Patrick gave us a bird’s eye view of the Globe, and next, he took us around Southwark to The George Inn to have some drinks. Finally, he sent us with a mission along the streets of London for the following day: we had to look for different statues and pictures of Shakespeare around the city and meanwhile make friends with each member of our group. It goes without saying that, by the time we returned to the Globe the next day, everybody knew each other. Moreover, this wonderful day was crowned by the performance of the Merchant of Venice which was breathtaking from beginning to end. I had never realized all the sexual overtones that the play has got and which the director foregrounded!
Then followed a number of workshops delivered by distinguished actors, designers, musicians and scholars. Yolanda Vasquez, an accomplished actress, taught us, on two different days, drama techniques to use in the class when teaching Shakespeare and made us perform extracts from plays on the Globe’s stage! Next came Jenny Tiramani’s demonstration of how Shakespeare’s actors at the Globe are dressed in Elizabethan costumes and then dressed up two of our friends to illustrate what she had said. Glynn MacDonald, the Head of the Globe’s Movement Department, taught us how to deliver Shakespeare’s iambic pentameters together with movement. James Bisgood, the Globe’s musician, showed to us the big array of Elizabethan musical instruments and played a few songs. Lastly, Brian Patterson took us to the Heavens (balconies), the Earth (stage) and the Hell (trap door) of the theatre.
Besides, we had the chance to listen to the well-known Shakespeare scholar, Stanley Wells, deliver a lecture on Othello just before watching the play. As to Othello, the performance was extremely naturalistic, so much so that Othello seemed to have killed Desdemona in front of our very eyes! Moreover, what made the performance even more powerful was our role as groundlings and the London showers that kept pouring on our heads… On another day we also watched Love’s Labour’s Lost and had the opportunity of asking two of its actors a number of questions guided by Heather Neill, an arts journalist with whom we discussed all the plays.
One evening we were welcomed by Valerie Mitchell, the E.S.U. Director, to Dartmouth House, a beautiful mansion in the Anglo-French style, where we had a cocktail and dined together with several E.S.U. sponsors. We were all made to feel like very distinguished people thanks to the hostess’s warmth, the photographs which were taken of us and the lovely surroundings.
By the end of the Cultural Seminar, we were asked by Patrick Spottiswoode to bring a translation of Romeo and Juliet in our own language and to read a part in front of our classmates. It was incredible to hear the same extract over and over again in our different languages, eighteen languages joined by the same text and by our love and admiration for Shakespeare, his work and his masterly use of the English language. This is what the English-Speaking Union now means to me and for this unforgettable experience I would like to express my sincere gratitude to every single person involved in the organization of this course both in Argentina and England.
Maria Cecilia Pena Koessler |
Report: Ivana Gambarrutta.
Two months ago I was selected to receive a scholarship
to attend the 2006 ESU and Globe Education Cultural
Seminar for Teachers at Shakespeare’s Globe, London..
The course involved working together with teachers of
English and Drama from twenty different countries on
a number of aspects to be considered when reading as
well as staging Shakespeare’s plays with our students.
What can I say… everything was a hundred times
better than I had expected. And my expectations had
certainly been high! Sharing views with drama professionals
and colleagues was a unique opportunity to grow both
professionally and personally. And here I would like
to thank each of those in charge of our many workshops
and lectures:
• Patrick Spottiswoode, who reminded us that Shakespeare
had written for a playhouse (or play-hus, as he liked
to call it) with strikingly heterogeneous audiences
rather than for a theatre (or, again, a the-a-tre, note
his very French r) to which only the elite have had
access in the last three hundred years. Patrick also
managed to make living Shakespeare’s statues of
us, after a pleasingly exhausting six-hour Shakespeare
rally looking for representations of Shakespeare all
around London.
• Chris Satfford, who took us along the fascinating
road of unlocking Shakespeare’s text, to the point
that every time I think of the words “A drum,
a drum! Macbeth doth come” I can now truly share
in Macbeth’s feelings of fear, loneliness and
desolation.
• Giles Block, whose understanding of Shakespeare’s
verse and prose helped all of us to look at Shakespeare’s
stylistic choices from a different perspective.
• Glynn MacDonald. Well, what can one do but praise
her warmth, her commitment towards her job at the Globe,
her resourcefulness? She helped us gallop on our steeds
at the beat of Shakespeare’s iambic pentametre,
find the four elements (earth, water, fire and air)
in our own bodies and learn how the four archetypes
(the sovereign, the wizard, the warrior and the lover)
are the essence of our being in all spheres of literature
and, of course, life.
• James Bisgood and Debs Watson, for leading us
into the amazing world of Elizabethan music and costume.
• Heather Neill, whose review discussions proved
extremely useful after each performance.
• The Globe acting crew, for allowing us to get
nearer the edges of Rome, to an extent that I felt I
wanted to see some of the plays for a second time, which
I did as soon as I had a free afternoon, this time knowing
that there is nowhere better to be than right by the
stage even when this might mean being sprinkled with
wine by a drunken Captain in Titus Andronicus, tasting
the blood of Cleopatra’s movingly loyal guard,
or simply being drenched by a downpour in the middle
of a performance.
• The entire Globe staff, who eagerly coordinated
our seven day’s work.
And last, but not least, I want to give my sincerest
thanks to The ESU Argentina, who allowed me to fulfill
a life-long dream of reading, seeing and feeling Shakespeare
with colleagues from around the globe.
I would also like to thank Valerie Mitchell for her
warm reception at Dartmouth House and the very enjoyable
dinner which she organized for all of us delegates,
or, as Patrick Spottiswoode called us, the United Nations.
That day at the British Council, after my interview
with Mr. Garvie, Mr. Rodman and Ms. Mora, while the
selection process was still going on, I thought: “What
if… I make it? I would really change my life!”
Well, I have. And, yes, it has.
Ivana Gambarrutta
St. Margaret's School |
|
A
Cultural Seminar was held at the Globe Theatre
in London from the 15 th of August to the
21 st , and scholarships were offered by
the English Speaking Union in many countries
of the world. It was a great pleasure to
find that I had been selected to represent
Argentina, and delighted to find that I
would share the course with 19 other delegates
coming from very different areas of the
world: Armenia, China, Georgia, Hong Kong
and Lebanon amongst others.
The Seminar consisted of a very intensive
programme of activities, all of them related
to Shakespeare's plays. Many of the training
lessons were focused on what the community
of the Globe's Education Department call
‘original practices': this consists of simply
carrying out the same procedures and creating
the same conditions Shakespeare would have
met in his time in order to stage a play.
This has several implications: It means
that actors have to get used to performing
on an ‘apron stage', jutting into the audience
and thus creating an inevitable proximity
with it, which gives way to interaction.
Because of this we find that most of Shakespeare's
famous soliloquies are not meant to be delivered
as ‘interior monologues', but are really
addressed to the audience, who would be
leaning on the stage- in the case of the
groundlings- and watching the play intently
from the galleries. As well, the actors
perform in clothes (not costumes) designed
and sewn especially for the purpose: the
fabrics used are the ones that would have
been worn in Shakespeare's times, such as
linen, wool or silk. Fashion has been explored
intensively in various museums of the world
to make sure the garments are exactly like
those Elizabethans would have used. In addition,
just like in Shakespeare's primitive Globe,
staging is very simple: there is no artificial
lighting and the plays are performed during
the day. The music is live, and played by
musicians who either make their own instruments
or have them made in accordance to the Elizabethan
tradition.
Other activities carried out in the Seminar
implied walking in groups about London and
using the Tube: ‘The Shakespeare Rally'
invited the attendants to go around the
city looking for diverse monuments or paintings
in which Shakespeare is celebrated. Amongst
others, the sites visited were Southwark
Cathedral with the reclining statue of Shakespeare
and the glass window commemorating his plays,
the playwright's statue at Leicester square,
the Droeshout engraving on the cover of
the first Folio edition in the British Library
and the Chandos portrait at the National
Portrait Gallery. Also, as part of an interaction
project involving Shakespeare and the Islam
in relation to ‘Othello' , an exhibition
at Somerset house on Islamic art was offered
to the students at the Seminar.
Experiencing all three performances of ‘ Much ado about Nothing' , ‘ Measure
for Measure' and ‘Romeo and Juliet' was one of the central issues of the
seminar and probably one of the most rewarding.
Sessions with a Theatre critic were carried
out to analyze the shows. As well, the ‘Master
of Movement' and the ‘Master of Voice',
both in charge of training the actors for
performance on the stage and teaching them
to use their body language and their voice,
shared their lessons with us. Furthermore,
Patrick Spottiswoode, Director of the Globe
Education Department, gave fantastic lessons
on Blank verse and its effect in Romeo
and Juliet: we learnt to gallop the
poetic lines to the rhythm of the poetry,
even inventing lines of our own to fill
the metre. Thus, the dexterity of the playwright
in the handling of the language became not
only a matter of theory but a vivid and
enjoyable experience.
To conclude, an incredible session in which
all the attendants shared a scene of the
play in their own native language was carried
out: Romeo's and Juliet's words were pronounced
in Lithuanian, Czech, Russian, Mandarin
Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Polish, Bulgarian,
Latvian, Georgian, Lebanese, Danish, and
of course, Spanish, amongst others.
As a whole, the Seminar not only provided
plenty of updated and erudite information
about Shakespeare's world, but as well gave
us teachers a different point of view to
approach the plays: we learnt to study the
texts from the perspective of actors and
directors, capturing these works of art
mainly as drama , something
which is meant to be acted, not only read
in the academic context of a classroom.
Furthermore, I think we all enjoyed being
part of the Globe community, learning from
their commitment to the cause, which is
kindling the flame that keeps Shakespeare's
works alive today.
In addition to all these pleasant activities,
half–way through the week we were invited
by the London Branch of the ESU to a very
elegant dinner at Dartmouth House. We had
a wonderful time: not only did we relish
in the excellent cooking and refined architecture,
but we shared the evening with two very
interesting personalities, Mrs. Valerie
Mitchell and Mr. William Mardsen.
The Shakespeare Globe Cultural Seminar was
an almost magical experience that recreated
the spirit in which the plays were created,
produced and performed. The Theatre itself,
the third Globe, stands on the South Bank
of the Thames as an icon,- all oak, lime
and thatch,- right next to Tate Modern and
the Millennium Bridge, recent works of art
and architecture;
‘This wooden O' in its XXI century
version, is the living proof of the immortal
quality of Shakespeare's plays, which after
four centuries still attract crowds from
all over the world. Thanks to the ESU's
generous scholarship I became one more privileged
fanatic who had the privilege of taking
part in this incredible experience. |
|
Shakespeare's ESU
Cultural Seminar at The Globe Theatre
 
Sunday
15 August
2.00pm Welcome : Introduction to and tour of Shakespeare’s
Globe
3.30pm Lecture : Shakespeare and the Globe
5.15pm Globe Walkshop : a walking tour of Bankside
6.45pm Drinks at The George Inn
Monday 16 August
10.00am The Shakespeare Rally
4.00pm The Shakespeare Rally seminar
5.30pm END
Tuesday 17 August
9.00am Heaven to Hell : backstage tour of the
Globe Theatre
10.00am Workshop : Setting the Scene for Much
Ado About Nothing (Globe Education Practitioner)
11.30am Clothing Workshop with Jenny Tiramani
(Director of Design, Shakespeare’s Globe)
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Performance : Much Ado About Nothing
5.20pm Chaired discussion with a member of the
Theatre Company
6.20pm END
Wednesday 18 August
9.00am Workshop : Voice and the Actor
10.30am Review Seminar : Much Ado About Nothing
11.30am Lecture: Romeo and Juliet and Othello
on Film with Tony Howard (University of Warwick)
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Performance : Romeo and Juliet
5.00pm Talking Theatre : public Q and A with a
member of the Theatre Company
6.00pm Break
7.00pm Drinks Reception and Dinner at Dartmouth
House
Thursday 19 August
9.00am Review Seminar : Romeo and Juliet
10.00am Music workshop with a Globe musician
11.30am Workshop : Setting the Scene for Measure
for Measure (Globe Education Practitioner)
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Performance : Measure for Measure
6.00pm Workshop : Movement and the Actor
7.30pm END
Friday 20 August
9.00am Review Seminar : Romeo and Juliet
10.00am The Globe and Education with Fiona Banks
11.30am Workshop : Approaches for Teaching Shakespeare
in the Classroom (1)
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Seminar : Othello
3.30pm Boat trip to Somerset House
4.15pm Heaven on Earth : Art From Islamic Lands
Exhibition at Somerset House
5.00pm Lecture : Othello – Magic in the
Web
6.30pm END
Saturday 21 August
10.00am Workshop : Approaches for Teaching Shakespeare
in the Classroom (2)
11.30am Visit to the Shakespeare Globe Exhibition
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Seminar : Shakespeare in Sundry Languages
3.00pm Reflection session and Keeping in Touch
4.30pm Final Jig : an illustrated talk by Tony
Howard (University of Warwick)
6.00pm Final drinks |
|
|
| |
|
|
