Ormiston Bushfield Academy students take centre stage at National Playmaking Festival

Chosen for their talent and passion for the arts, budding thespians from Ormiston Bushfield Academy, part of Ormiston Academies Trust, joined a professional acting company for a once-in-a-lifetime performance of a Shakespeare classic.

The National Playmaking Festival is part of the RSC’s national education programme, which encourages young people to learn more about the arts and pursue their creative passions outside of the classroom through real-life experience with world-class theatre and the chance to explore Shakespeare in innovative and meaningful ways.

The performance formed part of a national showcase, which brought together 100 young performers representing five RSC clusters from across the country, including Cumbria, Cornwall, Blackpool, Nottingham, and Peterborough. Each regional cluster presented a different section of King Lear in their own unique style to create a full, collaborative performance of the classic tragedy in a unique and immersive promenade style.

Taking to the stage at The Other Place, Royal Shakespeare Company’s renowned theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, students from Bushfield used their acting talent to wow the audience with a dramatic and emotional performance. Other Peterborough representatives on the day included St John’s Church School and City of Peterborough Academy.

In preparation for the big day, students spent months practising their lines, creativity, teamwork, and oracy skills to create a dynamic performance for the unique opportunity.

Speaking about the experience, student Tiana, said:

“Taking part in the National Playmaking Festival was an incredible experience to be part of! I have learnt many skills to help me in the future and working with people from the RSC was truly amazing.”

Dennis Kirwan, Principal at Ormiston Bushfield Academy, said:

“This was such a unique and prestigious opportunity for our students. To perform Shakespeare at the home of the Bard is a dream come true, and each performer made us so proud!”

“At Bushfield, we are committed to encouraging our students to access the arts and we are incredibly proud to see how our students showed such commitment and passion as the future generation of creatives. It has been amazing to see their confidence, dedication, and skill grow throughout this project. Their performance was a highlight of the festival and a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration, and youth engagement with the arts.”