Twelfth Night captivates Sixth Form at the Globe

By Sophia Wyllie, Year 12

On Wednesday 22 September, Years 12 and 13 ventured out into the heart of London to watch a performance of Twelfth Night at the prestigious Globe Theatre. As a Year 12 student myself, this was very much an introduction to a Shakespeare play which I will be studying in great depth this time next year. Seeing this production has only made me more excited, and here’s why.

The production balanced a fine line between staying true to Shakespeare’s original intent whilst also adding its own spin on things with great ease and success. With no less than five of the traditionally male characters being played by women and the occasional modern note added with songs by Tina Turner and Elvis Presley, the audience was captivated from the very start. The cast were clearly loving it and that same feeling diffused infectiously across the stands.

Sitting in the upper gallery meant that we could fully appreciate both the play and the theatre in its entirety, too; looking around, I found myself imagining what it would have been like to attend four hundred years ago. In all likelihood, it wouldn’t have been hugely different architecturally: the afternoon sun would have fallen in the exact position it did when we were there, the same seats illuminated, albeit those sitting in them having changed.

Overall, the production proffered a great insight into the varying and complex world of Shakespearean theatre, the Globe really capturing the essence of the era, re-animating the play for a fresh audience. I am now even more eager to walk into the classroom next year after this taster of what’s to come!