Year 10 pupils have been working hard over the last few months towards a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival 2016. Over two nights, local schools performed famous works by William Shakespeare at the Taliesin Arts Centre in Swansea. Pupils had a fantastic experience of working in a professional, local theatre and received some outstanding feedback about their performance. The cast’s dedication to this project has been exceptional and their performance on the night was sensational.

Caitlyn, who played the role of Bottom, said ‘It was a real honour to step out onto that stage alongside my friends and perform in a show that is so different – it’s a feeling I’ll never forget. With Miss Comley’s help we came up with a show that felt professional and mature – well, as mature as you can be when performing one of Shakespeare’s comedies! I wasn’t expecting to get a part at all, so being given one of the leading characters in this show has really helped my confidence and I’m pleased that the staff had confidence in me to take on this iconic role. Thank you to Miss Comley and the English department!’

Steffan, who played the role of Lysander, added ‘It was a real honour to take to the stage in one of Shakespeare’s classic plays along with my fellow pupils. The process of putting the show into production was really quite exciting, and it was incredibly easy under Miss Comley’s direction. It felt like we were taking part in a professional show! After the performance itself, I felt really excited and proud as the audience commended all of our hard work. I feel that the Shakespeare Schools Festival has given endless opportunities to people who may not have had a chance to perform before, and to allow them to feel proud to be a part of something so special. It has definitely improved the confidence of the entire cast and we have had some fantastic feedback.’