At the end of January, Year 12 and 13 students attended an A-Level study day at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Did you know that Shakespeare’s Globe is the only building in the City of London with a thatched roof? They were banned following the Great Fire of London in 1666. The authentic roof is created using original techniques that were used in Shakespeare’s time. After a mis-fired prop went off in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII, the original Globe actually burnt to the ground in two hours! The prop caught the thatched roof, so when The Globe was rebuilt, it had a tiled roof. It was then pulled down in 1644 after the Long Parliament closed all London theatres. The Globe that the students visited was rebuilt in 1997.
Back in 2024, during their visit, students were given an exclusive tour (including backstage) of the theatre, an interactive lecture on context and a drama workshop looking at the themes of power and status. It was a wonderful experience and students excelled all day displaying extensive knowledge of their exam text – Shakespeare’s King Lear.
If you think this looks like fun, why not find out more about studying in our Sixth Form!
