Over 200 dedicated secondary school pupils performed at Riverside Studios Theatre, Hammersmith, across three nights in October as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, a national showcase of young talent.

A diverse range of pupils from a variety of backgrounds formed the casts from 12 schools. Each school performed a 30 minute abridged version of one of Shakespeare’s plays, treating the captivated audience with four very different plays on each night.

Through much determination and commitment throughout the preceding weeks, cast members mastered Shakespeare’s original words, resulting in the messages contained within each play remaining as clear as ever. Nonetheless, a whole range of performing arts were incorporated into the plays, with singing and dancing being used to add a modern touch to the performances. The originality of each performance demonstrated to the audience how the casts had taken Shakespeare’s creations and confidently made them their own.

Ms Izzard, a drama teacher from Gumley House, believes that the festival provides a fantastic opportunity for young people.

“The girls [from Gumley] were incredibly committed throughout the rehearsal process – not least to the task of raising as much of the £600 entry fee as possible. I was very touched to see how proud the girls were of their performance piece and, in turn, I was proud to see how supportive the girls were of other schools. The cast was a delight to work with and I really hope this experience has ignited something in each of them.”