Macbeth

ENGLISH

Speaking and listening

This performance gives students the opportunity to listen to the story, respond appropriately, and offer feedback in class on parts of the story that interest them. They can also identify and respond to sound patterns in language, such as rhyme and word play. The performance also provides students with an opportunity to hear some of Shakespeare’s language.

Students are also given the opportunity to speak clearly on stage when asked to respond to certain parts of the production, when appropriate. For example, when students are picked to become part of Macbeth’s dinner party. Students can also evaluate the overall effectiveness of the performance, including language variation and dialect forms of the many characters in the play.

LITERATURE
The production gives students the opportunity to explore the works of William Shakespeare and to observe how an old play can be adapted to suit a modern audience.

DRAMA
This show allows students to discuss the versatility of the actors, i.e., by using different body language and different voices to portray a variety of characters. KS2 students can see how light, sound, costumes and set also contribute to the overall performance. The show also provides an opportunity to see how Shakespearean actors performed, using Shakespeare’s language.

PSHE & CITIZENSHIP
The production raises issues such as bullying, influence, ambition, human emotion, status, power and guilt.

HISTORY
The production allows all ages to explore the Elizabethan period by seeing the characters in different costumes of that era and observing the way they lived. The adaptation uses some of the original text, giving students an opportunity to listen to Shakespeare’s language.

1. Get the students to investigate the life of an actor in Shakespeare’s time. Get them to write a poem about it.

2. Divide the class into groups and get the students to rehearse and perform a scene from Macbeth. Once they have performed the extract, ask them to make a modern version of the piece.

3. Make a poster advertising this performance of Macbeth. Get the children to draw their favourite scene from the show.

4. Take the famous witches scene (Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble) and get the pupils to turn it into a song, using instruments and dance moves.

5. Ask the children to form a circle and get them to pretend to be different characters from the play. Get each student to sit in the middle of the circle, in turn, while the other students ask questions about their character. The children have to try and guess who they are.

6. Get the children to walk around the room like different characters from the performance. When you say ‘freeze’ they must stand like statues. If they move then they are out of the game. Carry on until there is a winner.

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