secondary school
SHAKESPEARE WITHOUT TEARS
ROMEO & JULIET, MACBETH AND 'INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE'
The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company offers both Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth for secondary school students in Victoria as well as our ‘Intro To Shakespeare’ show, designed to help students and teachers who are meeting The Bard for the first time.
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2024 Brochure
"The team at Flying Bookworm were incredibly attentive to what we needed for our incursion. Flying Bookworm tailor made a Macbeth experience for our students and our curriculum aims, and were excited to join our class panel discussions about characters, themes and Shakespearean language. The actors were extremely personable and were genuinely interested to hear our students ideas about Macbeth, as well share with our students some expert insight of their own.”
-S. Oliver, CGGS Shakespeare Without Tears
Please do not expect truncated, fifty-five minute versions of the plays. Our performances emphasize elements of the plays that de-mystify Shakespeare. We bring the language, characters, themes and humour closer to the students.
A scene from the selected play conveyed more traditionally may be followed by a parallel scenario that projects Shakespeare into a modern setting. Scenes may be delivered from the mind-set of current-day figures familiar to students. Our intention is to motivate, educate and create a connection with students. We present linking commentary between scenes, explain and analyze where appropriate, highlight significant social and historical context. Each presentation includes a rapid-fire, five-minute, absorbing summation of the plot. Time us!
Our techniques seek to engage the audience. Students are creatively involved in the presentation. A Q & A session with the actors follows each performance. In order that teachers may closely integrate this Shakespearean experience with class-work, The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company provides on-line class activities, questions and reflections that may be down-loaded to provide the focus for further study.
The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company is passionate in presenting performances that act as pathways for student understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare.
2024 season
"The performance of “Romeo and Juliet” by the Flying Bookworm Theatre Company was exceptional. Their portrayal of the events in the play was expertly suited to the audience and allowed us to take an in-depth look into Shakespeare’s world. Never a dull moment!"
– Sharman (Student), Glen Waverley Secondary College
"A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME..."
First comes love, then comes marriage, and then...
Things don't always work out as planned.
The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company is passionate in presenting performances that facilitate student understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare.Our performances de-mystify Shakespeare by bringing the characters, language, themes and humour closer to the students. Over 60 minutes, ‘Shakespeare Without Tears: Romeo and Juliet' will introduce students to the famous lovers, but in a captivating engaging manner. Our aim is to immediately connect with students by presenting a rapid fire 4 minute absorbing summary of the plot. If you do not believe our claim, time us!
Our dedicated and experienced actors have a multidimensional approach to the play. Some scenes will be presented in classical Shakespearian language while others will be set in a modern context, expressed in modern language. This approach helps break down the barriers while highlighting the timelessness of the themes and ideas. See Romeo & Juliet as post-millennials navigating their newfound love.
Student volunteers from the audience assist in acting out some scenes making Shakespeare accessible and fun. Our actors present linking easy-to-understand commentary between scenes and highlight significant aspects of social and historical context.
A Q & A session with the actors follows each performance. To assist teachers in integrating this Shakespeare experience with classwork, the Flying Bookworm Theatre Company provides a study guide for teachers.
"ALL HAIL MACBETH...KING THOU SHALT BE."
How can one man fall so far?
The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company is passionate in presenting performances that act as pathways for student understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare.
Our performances emphasize elements of the plays that de-mystify Shakespeare. We bring the language, characters, themes and humour closer to the students.
'Shakespeare Without Tears: Macbeth' our dedicated and professional actors focus on the intense and often misunderstood relationship between Macbeth, the man that would be king, and Lady Macbeth, the woman who would do anything to place him on the throne.
We bring the language, characters, themes and humour closer to the students. A scene from the selected play conveyed more traditionally may be followed by a parallel scenario that projects Shakespeare into a modern setting. Scenes may be delivered from the mind-set of current-day figures familiar to students.
Our intention is to motivate, educate and create a connection with students. We present linking commentary between scenes, explain and analyse where appropriate, highlight significant social and historical context. Each presentation includes a rapid-fire, four-minute, absorbing summation of the plot. Time us!
A Q & A session with the actors follows each performance. In order that teachers may closely integrate this Shakespearean experience with class-work, The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company provides on-line class activities, questions and reflections that may be down-loaded to provide the focus for further study.
HAMLET. MACBETH. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. ROMEO & JULIET... THE LIST GOES ON. "NO LEGACY IS SO RICH, AND HONEST..."
And then there's the sonnets! But where to begin?
For students and teachers alike, approaching Shakespeare's works for the first time can be a daunting task. The language is unfamiliar, the references sometimes obscure. Why do the Capulet's and Montague's hate each other? What do the witches mean "of no woman born"? Wait, did that say pursued by a BEAR!?!
That's where we come in.
For over 45 years The Flying Bookworm Theatre Company has been taking Shakespeare's works and breaking them down to their clearest form, without ever losing the poetry of the words or watering down the beauty of the language. And with our 'Intro to Shakespeare' show we put all of that knowledge and experience to use by presenting scenes from some of Shakespeare's most brilliant plays and most moving sonnets, while also presenting information on The Bard himself to give the plays and characters are clearer context.
By the end of our performance you can expect to have a clearer understanding as to how to approach Shakespeare's plays, how to understand his language, and how to begin falling in love with his classic works.
IN OUR PRODUCTION WE FOCUS ON:
-Shakespeare's life and times.
-Re-occurring themes in Shakespeare's works.
- Evidence of his ongoing influence today.
- How to approach reading, and performing Shakespeare.
Over the duration of the performance our actors will present key scenes and major characters from Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Othello and Henry V, pausing between scenes to offer students plain English explanations of what is happening, or about to happen at that moment.
Modern English adaptations, student participation and re-interpretations are all performed alongside the original text, to offer students the best possible opportunity to explore all aspects of Shakespeare's rich and complex works. Our actors also work to explore the ways in which Shakespeare’s works can be viewed in a modern context, and how his characters relate to us today.
There is also an opportunity for students to have a Q&A session with the actors after the show to further explore the play and it's ideas.
Resource Guide Sample: