Stunning Tudor Banquet launches RSC
The Canterbury High School has been selected as a Lead Associate School in partnership with The Marlowe Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company. This follows our achievements between 2013-16 as a Hub School for the Learning & Performance Network with the two organisations and local schools.
The Associate Schools programme launched in September 2016. 120 pupils and staff joined us at The Canterbury High School for a variety of workshops, with knot skills and historical context delivered by the RNLI, clowning workshops from AKA Theatre Company, a music specialist delivering a body percussion session and an art specialist delivering a collaborative art project, all themed on ‘The Tempest’.
After their workshops the schools settled down for a Tudor banquet, served by pupils from our sixth form Chef’s Academy. They enjoyed a performance extract of ‘The Ophelia Story’, a brand new musical based on Hamlet, by our year 12 Musical Theatre Programme before each school got up on stage to perform an extract of a Shakespeare play they had been given. Performances were imaginative, interesting and of an impressively high standard.
Those in attendence had this to say about the launch
''I just wanted to say a really big thank you for the launch yesterday. We were so impressed with the workshops, the Tudor banquet, the performances and our ambassadors, who were a real credit to you.''
''The children had an amazing time and made new friends. I think it was great that they could see how they are a part of something bigger than just our own school, and they talked positively about what they learned from the other schools performances. One child said to me; 'Thank you for giving me the best day of my life!''
''Thank you so much for yesterday, it was an absolutely brilliant experience for myself and my sixth form students. Being new to the programme I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and gained so much from the evening.''
''The banquet was brilliant – it was one of my student’s 18th birthday so this was a really memorable way for her to celebrate it! The food was lovely with a really nice mix of options for everyone – I was really impressed and happily full afterwards! The activities on the tables were great too, a lovely mix for all ages/abilities which mine all really engaged with and enjoyed. The table decorations were a nice touch too to link to the theme, although I’m not sure I’d have noticed if you’d not pointed it out.''