As most of Andover’s school children were enjoying the first break of this new academic year, the dedicated Year 11 BTEC Performing Arts students from Harrow Way Community School were busy working with the director of independent professional theatre company Labyrinth Theatre. The students used the holiday time to rehearse for Romeo & Juliet, which they subsequently performed to a sell-out audience. Harrow Way has been collaborating with theatre companies since 1994 as a means to give students exposure to professional actors and directors.
Euan Manson, Drama Teacher at Harrow Way, said: “Each year this project gives our students the chance to work with a professional theatre Director. For our students to spend time with a theatre company, being treated as professionals themselves, is an invaluable experience. This ‘work experience’ will make a huge contribution towards their development as performers alongside the requirements of their BTEC qualification.â€
Fortunately it is not just the Year 11 Performing Arts students that will benefit from the expertise of Labyrinth Theatre. Now the other students, all rested from a week’s holiday, have returned to school, the Year 9 English students studying Romeo & Juliet will spend time with the Shakespearean specialists. Following the sessions, which are renowned for being fun and relevant, these students should have a greater appreciation and understanding, not only of Romeo and Juliet but other Shakespearean works that they may study in the future.
For more details about Labyrinth Theatre please visit www.labyrinththeatre.com