Northampton primary school pupils perform Shakespeare in front of David Cameron

Pupils from a Northampton school got the chance to perform a Midsummer Nights' Dream in front of the Prime Minister as part of a Downing Street event celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Jul 2016, 06:30 GMT
Lings Primary School outside Number 10 as part of an event held to mark 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare. The Prime Minister watch an evening performance held in the gardens.Lings Primary School outside Number 10 as part of an event held to mark 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare. The Prime Minister watch an evening performance held in the gardens.
Lings Primary School outside Number 10 as part of an event held to mark 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare. The Prime Minister watch an evening performance held in the gardens.

Lings Primary School was one of five schools invited to perform extracts from some of Shakespeare’s most popular plays at Number 10 on Wednesday. The event was organised by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Shakespeare Schools Festival.

The youngsters’ performed three scenes from a Midsummer Night’s Dream, which marked the end of a day of activity in which more than 100 pupils from across the UK also took park in workshops based on Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.

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Drama teacher at Lings Robert Orford said the four pupils had a “fabulous day.”

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Lings Primary School pupils performed three scenes from a Midsummer Nights' Dream in the gardens of Number 10.Lings Primary School pupils performed three scenes from a Midsummer Nights' Dream in the gardens of Number 10.
Lings Primary School pupils performed three scenes from a Midsummer Nights' Dream in the gardens of Number 10.

“It was exceptional,” he said. “David Cameron met the children and he was really nice with them.

“It was a really memorable day. One of those you think you may never repeat again.”

A group ofyoungsters at the school impressed Education Secretary Nicky Morgan when they performed segments of the Shakespeare play in front of her in April.

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The pupils at Lings had five weeks to work on the scenes with help from the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Lings Primary School pupils performed three scenes from a Midsummer Nights' Dream in the gardens of Number 10.Lings Primary School pupils performed three scenes from a Midsummer Nights' Dream in the gardens of Number 10.
Lings Primary School pupils performed three scenes from a Midsummer Nights' Dream in the gardens of Number 10.

Prime Minister David Cameron was also impressed by the performance.

He said: “I was delighted to welcome schools from across the country into Downing Street to celebrate Shakespeare’s extraordinary legacy.

“Thanks to these talented young people and the dedicated teams at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Shakespeare Schools Festival, Shakespeare does indeed live in 10 Downing Street.”

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Chief Executive of Shakespeare Schools Festival Ruth Brock said: “At Shakespeare Schools Festival, we don’t just believe in the limitless power of Shakespeare to amuse and terrify, move and inspire, we believe that performing his plays has the power to change the lives of some of the most disadvantaged children in this country.

Related topics:David CameronPrime MinisterNorthamptonDowning Street