Benenden was recently visited by acclaimed actor, author, creative producer and expert on all things Shakespeare, Ben Crystal.
Ben ran a series of talks and workshops for year groups across the whole School, discussing Shakespeare’s plays in their intended, performative context.
His unbridled enthusiasm and extensive knowledge – quoting Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello at the drop of a hat – helped to make the plays accessible and entertaining for students.
The sessions drew attention to things like Shakespeare’s deviations from strict iambic pentameter and their implications for performance, the difference that changing dialects have made to interpretations since Elizabethan times and the multifaceted significance of the dramatic pause.
Students were also given opportunities to put Ben’s lessons into practice, joining him onstage for some demonstrative performances.