Who Rocks? Shakespeare Rocks! The 2021 Junior School Production
This year our Year 5 and Year 6 students took on a historical musical for their Term 1 production: Shakespeare Rocks! This fun, contemporary take on the Shakespearean tradition had the entire Junior School singing in the halls all week.
Shakespeare is the most celebrated writer and dramatist in the English language. Edward Alleyn, who founded Dulwich College in 1619, was a contemporary of Shakespeare, providing a wonderful link to our founding College.
Beyond the catchy singing and choreography, the students displayed extraordinary versatility in taking on a sophisticated script that incorporated textual elements from well-known plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet.
Through the lens of Shakespeare our students engaged with the historical time period of Queen Elizabeth, exploring how life was different back then. Even more interesting, they showcased contemporary themes, such as the fluidity of gender roles with boys playing girls in Shakespeare's time and girls playing boys playing girls in our own time!
"It is a unique opportunity for our Junior School students to gain a familiarity with Shakespeare at such a young age," says Ms. Victoria Foster, Head of Junior School. "We applaud their dedication and efforts in performing such a challenging play. We were also pleased that we were able to have some parents on campus to complete the experience - it really was a fun night for the community."
