Most children have heard of Shakespeare. Far fewer have had the chance to truly meet him. Bigfoot’s Introduction to Shakespeare drama workshops for KS1 and KS2 change that, using drama, tableaux, character work, original language and a healthy dose of comedy to bring the world’s most famous playwright to life in a way that makes pupils feel like insiders rather than outsiders. Ideal for Shakespeare Week, Arts Week, Enrichment Days, World Book Day or an end of term treat.
The workshops begins with the man himself: who was Shakespeare, what drove him and why does he still matter? Pupils discover that the words excitement, lonely, bedroom, fashionable and bump were all invented by Shakespeare, and that the same pen that gave us those also gave us the witches of Macbeth, the fairies of a magical forest and the most doomed love story ever written. From there the session moves into the play itself, with pupils working in groups to bring scenes, characters and key moments to life through tableaux, soundscape, hot seating and devised drama.
Each workshop is built around a single play chosen from a rich range of titles, and the drama techniques are carefully selected to unlock what makes that play tick. Whether it is the clowning and mischief of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the ambition and madness running through Macbeth or the mask work and dramatic irony of Romeo and Juliet, pupils leave with a genuine sense of what Shakespeare felt like from the inside.
AVAILABLE PLAYS
Bigfoot’s Introduction to Shakespeare workshops are available across six of Shakespeare’s most taught and best-loved plays.
- Macbeth A brave general, a chilling prophecy and a descent into ambition and madness that Shakespeare made more terrifying than any ghost story.
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream Mistaken identities, a mischievous fairy called Puck and a man with a donkey’s head make this Shakespeare’s most joyful and chaotic comedy.
- Romeo and Juliet The original love story, complete with feuding families, secret marriage, dramatic irony and one of the most famous endings in literary history.
- The Tempest A magician, a shipwreck, a vengeful plot and a love story unfold on a mysterious island full of strange magic and stranger characters.
- Hamlet A prince, a ghost, a corrupt court and the most famous question in the English language make this Shakespeare’s darkest and most compelling tragedy.
- Julius Caesar Power, loyalty, betrayal and the consequences of ambition play out in Shakespeare’s gripping portrait of the fall of Rome’s greatest ruler.
“I have employed Bigfoot for Shakespeare at every school I have worked at. Adrian brings joy, energy and absolute passion, and he brings out the very best in every child and adult in the room.” — Kiel Richardson, Buckhurst Hill School
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Understand who Shakespeare was, why he matters and how his language lives on in everyday English
- Explore the plot, characters, themes and language of a chosen Shakespeare play
- Use drama techniques including tableaux, hot seating, soundscape and devising to bring scenes to life
- Develop spoken language confidence, vocabulary and performance skills through active participation
- Build enthusiasm for Shakespeare as a foundation for secondary school English and Drama study
NATIONAL CURRICULUM LINKS
- English (Reading/Literature): Understanding Shakespeare’s plays, characters, themes and language; exploring narrative and dramatic structure
- English (Spoken Language/Oracy): Using original text in performance; developing vocabulary, spoken language confidence and the ability to present viewpoints
- Drama: Tableaux, hot seating, soundscape, devising and character work; understanding genre, tragedy and comedy
- History (KS2): Understanding Tudor England and Elizabethan theatre; the life and context of William Shakespeare
- Personal Development: Building cultural literacy, academic confidence and a sense of shared literary heritage through creative engagement with Shakespeare
FORMAT
Target Audience: KS1 and KS2 (Years 1 to 6)
Session Time: 60 minutes per class
Capacity: One class per session (up to 35 pupils)
Plays Available: Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Hamlet, Julius Caesar Ideal For: Shakespeare Week, Arts Week, Enrichment Days, English and Drama enrichment
HOW TO ENQUIRE & BOOK
For us to quote your school and offer availability, please fill out the form below and tell us the year groups and how many classes you would like us to work with, along with any specific dates. We promise to respond to you within 24 hours. Important: if you haven’t heard from us, you may need to check your folder of doom (spam folder) where our emails may occasionally end up!
