Shakespearean actors in the capital

By Frank Neill

The walls of Scots College is resounding with the mellifluous tones of Shakespearean drama

and music this week.

Secondary students from around New Zealand are attending the Shakespeare Globe Centre

New Zealand’s (SGCNZ) National Shakespeare Schools Production.

The 48 students have been selected from SGCNZ’s 24 regional and national festivals.

Starting on 24 September and running to 2 October the rangatahi begin each day with

waiata and haka practice before joining together to do workshops on singing Shakespearean

songs, dancing, comedy and combat – to mention just a few.

For the other half of each day, they toil away in rehearsals, preparing for the culminating

productions of 40-minute excerpts of scenes from Romeo & Juliet, Richard III and Cymbeline to be directed by actor/director/agent/SGCNZ Alumna Holly Shanahan, drama

lecturer/director Kerryn Palmer and actor Craig Geenty, (respectively), who will also take a

workshop each.

They will be accompanied by winners of SGCNZ’s Music Composition and Costume Design

Competitions, Student Composer, Karim Efremov and Student Costumier, Libby Nicholls.

The line up of illustrious tutors includes Dame Miranda Harcourt speaking on screen skills

for Shakespeare and SGCNZ Chief Executive Dawn Sanders sharing her deep knowledge of

the Globe and NZ’s gift of Hangings, as well as Shakespeare’s world.

Performances comprising 40 minutes from each of the plays plus some additional items will

take place at the Alan Gibbs Centre, Wellington College at 7.30pm on Saturday 30

September and 4pm on Sunday 1 October at the Wild Theatre, Wellington Zoo.

“This hotly sought after opportunity is full of enriching learning experiences, creating a like-

minded new whanau and all-important support network, and the chance of being selected

to go to the Globe as a member of SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company 2024,”

CEO/Organiser Dawn Sanders says.

Bookings can be made at Eventfinda.co.nz.