Adrian first worked with Zoe when she was just a young Primary school student. Known as ‘Mr Rapspeare’- the name of the programme, not Adrian’s alias ;)- when she qualified as a teacher she vowed to track down the educator who inspired her love of Shakespeare and creative teaching to give her pupils the same inspiring experience.
We are absolutely delighted that Zoe got in touch with us to share her story….
“One of my very first introductions to Shakespeare came at the hands of Bigfoot facilitator Adrian Benn, or ‘Rapspeare’, as he was referred to consistently by me and my younger sister for many years after he visited our primary school. From his session, I remember all of us enthusiastically contorting our bodies into wobbly and unsteady freeze frames to match the characters and emotions of Shakespeare’s plays, as we lost ourselves in the stories. Having returned from the world of Elizabethan tragedy, we were left brimming with pride at the achievement of having puzzled through obscure Shakespearean language to arrive at an appreciation of the world’s most famous love story. I had learned how much fun Shakespeare could be as well as how to rap the prologue to Romeo and Juliet, something I can still do to this day!
Several years, many books, and an English degree later, I returned to school as an English teacher, looking to inspire the same love of Shakespeare. When it came to planning my school’s annual literary festival (‘Lit Fest’), a week of creative workshops and author talks, there was no doubt in my mind that I needed to track down ‘Rapspeare’, whose joyful spirit and rhythmic performances had encouraged me to see Shakespeare as approachable and exciting as a young pupil. Thankfully, it wasn’t at all tricky to find him, although my childhood self was a little disappointed to find out that ‘Rapspeare’ wasn’t actually Adrian’s real name!
Watching Adrian deliver his ‘Rapspeare’ sessions to my students exceeded all the expectations I had based on my childhood memories. His ability to elicit enthusiasm and earnest engagement allowed me to see a completely different side to some of my students. As a teacher, it was clear to me just how valuable it is to have the opportunity to enjoy and explore Shakespeare freely beyond the curriculum. Through my students’ unwavering attention and exuberant engagement, I could witness their real-time realisation that Shakespeare’s plays are brilliantly entertaining: something to be inspired to study rather than to be endured.
When Adrian returned for his second ‘Lit Fest’ this year, I was touched to see that my current year 8s had been no less enthralled by Adrian’s storytelling, humour, and passion than I had been at their age. Those who had experienced his session last year flocked to greet him: a clear testament to the impact he and the ‘Rapspeare’ programme continue to make today, many years after I first experienced it!”
For anyone who would like to give their students the same inspirational experience, please get in touch!
