Recently I was asked to run an art project at my son’s school. His Year 6 class are looking at Shakespeare generally, and Macbeth in particular. Rather than just create an image based on the play I wanted the children to delve deeper. As I’ve always loved toy theatres this seemed like a good idea.
I made a set of scenery in my own Pollack’s toy theatre, and it was entirely black and white except for Lady Macbeth’s red dress. The children grasped the symbolism immediately and were able to produce far more thought-through pieces of art as a result.
Then children were asked to bring in a shoe box each. I designed a simple “proscenium arch” which was stuck on the lid. The necessary hole was cut out to create a stage opening, and slots on the top for scenery and the sides for characters were also cut.
The really creative bit, though, was imagining the scenery. This meant the children had to really look at the scenes given in the play directions (and not just be inspired by a cartoon film that they’d all seen; some scenes in the film are only referred to in the original play). Also they had to consider how to best represent the characters and who the characters were, quite a sophisticated concept for 10- year-olds.
I believe the follow-up writing appeared to benefit from this visual and mini dramatic immersion. For my part it was wonderful to see thirty children poring over their beautiful miniature theatres and acting out little scenes: “Out damned spot” and “Is this a dagger I see before me…?” were favourites… along with “By the the pricking of my thumb…”
Their puppet “actors” were glued to straws to allow them to enter the stage (although some had flying witches descend from above). One boy brought in lighting and pricked out star-holes at the back of the theatre, a lovely effect.
I am always amazed, humbled and inspired by what children can produce, without the self-critical baggage we adult artists carry around with us. Often it is unexpected children who start to shine, and that, rather satisfyingly, proved to be the case. I wish I had taken more photographs, but as usual it was a busy afternoon, keeping all the children happy and giving them the attention they deserved. At the end of the two days they all took home a Macbeth theatre and they all, deservedly, had a huge pride in their work and a good knowledge of the play. Happily, the Regent’s Park theatre are performing the “Scottish Play” this summer. We’ve already booked!
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