Fairfax Academy Shakespeare Festival: Talented young actors gave the Bard’s Macbeth a gangster makeover when they performed the iconic tragedy at Birmingham’s Old Rep Theatre, as part of the annual Shakespeare Schools Festival.
Tuesday, 5th November saw 35 Fairfax students perform an abridged version of the Shakespeare play, provided by Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation, the educational charity behind the yearly event.
And students decided to give the historic tragedy a 20th Century makeover, by resetting its power struggle in the mobster era of the 1920s.
Fairfax – which is part of the ambitious Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust – is renowned for its arts provision, with the entire school competing in an annual Eisteddfod every year since 1961.
Auditions for Macbeth were held at the school, in Fairfax Road, in September, with more than 70 students trying out for parts. The chosen actors ranged from Year 7 to Year 10, with one Year 12 student acting as Assistant Director to the production’s Director, Drama Teacher Bethany Cattell.
Subject Lead of Drama Kelly Hunter-Stott said: “We look forward to this festival each year, and this year we had the challenge of performing a Shakespeare Tragedy.
“Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most infamous plays, but we wanted to modernise it. We set it during the 1920s for many of the characters – except for the Witches who represented modern day.
“Themes were also very important. We focused on the thirst for power of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth – with this being supported by music and costume to show the change of power.”
Months of work behind Fairfax Academy Shakespeare Festival appearance
The cast had been rehearsing for two months and had the challenging task of being the festival’s final performance of the evening, which they executed to perfection.
The cast received excellent feedback from the Coram Shakespeare School Festival staff, recognising their hard work and creative interpretation.
The Festival closed with a mind-blowing performance by Thomas Bridge as Macbeth, who delivered the famous monologue ‘Is this a dagger I see before me…’.
Mrs Hunter-Stott said: “Thomas was amazing. He got his own round of applause from the cast in rehearsal, and he performed the monologue at the end of the festival – on stage alone!”
Performing at the Festival was an incredible experience for all involved, as the student cast excellently embodied Fairfax’s rich culture of performing arts.
Mrs Hunter-Stott said: “Taking part in Coram Shakespeare School Festival allows the students to work with other year groups, as well as professionals from the industry, including actors, directors and designers.
“They also get to perform in a professional theatre and can say that they have performed on the same stage as Sir Ian McKellen!
“I was extremely proud of the students and their performance. They have worked exceptionally hard and it was great to see everything come together so well.”
Principal Sean Castle said: “By closing the Shakespeare Schools Festival, Fairfax’s performers brought the curtain down on yet another fantastic performance. They should all be very proud of what they achieved.”