Did you know that ancient Romans brought drama to England? But it didn’t take center stage until the 16th century. Take your students and discover how the theatrics play out today with these must-do educational travel activities…
1. Shakespeare’s Stratford
Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.” And he was obviously a firm believer considering the settings of his plays—Italy, Spain, Denmark and Scotland. Yet he spent most of his life in Stratford-upon-Avon where he was born. Catch three acts from the playwrights’s life by exploring his hometown. Tour his mom’s house, peek into his childhood home (where even Charles Dickens, John Keats and Robert Hardy stopped by in later years) and visit the thatched cottage where his wife (Anne Hathaway) lived before they wed. It houses original furniture and a Shakespeare Garden filled with flowers mentioned in the bard’s plays. Think daisies, violets, rosemary and roses (which if called by any other name would still smell as sweet).
2. Take in a West-End show
London’s top stop for the elite is the West End. And it’s also the place to see a show. Since 1663 when the Theatre Royal in Bridges Street first opened its doors (only to close nine years later following the Great Fire of London,) the number of new theatres blossomed. Now, some 43 fill its streets. Make time to watch a classic such as Agatha Christie’s, The Mouse Trap, whose 60-year run places it firmly on the world stage. Or marvel at a modern production staged in a rather old auditorium. There’s The Adelphi theatre built in 1806, the Savoy Theatre designed especially for Gilbert and Sullivan or the Harold Pinter Theatre whose interior hasn’t changed since opening night in 1881.
3. Visit the Globe
You’ll find Shakespeare’s Globe just south of the River Thames and a stone’s throw from the original Globe Theatre site. Unfortunately, the original auditorium had a run of bad luck in its heyday. In 1613, it burned down due to a misfired cannon during a production of Henry VIII. Despite re-opening one year later, Puritans forced a permanent closure in 1642. See the reconstruction and embrace theatre-going, Elizabethan-style. Maybe do a workshop and learn everything from costume design to stage setup. And watch a Shakespearean performance—heckling, allowed!