On Tuesday, the LVI English students went on our first theatre trip to see Measure for Measure, a Shakespeare comedy that we are studying for A Level English Literature. We all gathered in the evening at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which is linked to the open-roofed Globe Theatre. On the inside, the theatre is compact, wooden, and lit by over a hundred beeswax candles, which contributes to its warm and intimate atmosphere. Before the play began, we discovered that the actor who was supposed to play the role of Duke Vincentio, who has arguably the most significant part in the play was unwell, and therefore had to be replaced by an actress who would be reading from the original script. Despite this sudden obstacle, we all believed that the character was played tremendously well, to the point that the actress was even able to recite most lines without looking down at her script! The play had moments of tension and shock, but remained jovial due to the bawdy cast whom, at times, called upon and teased members of the audience, frequently sparking outbursts of laughter. Overall, we immensely enjoyed seeing our studies being performed in front of our eyes, and it helped us to solidify what we have been studying in the best way possible.

Lara Taberham, Lower VI