Picnic Under the Stars with Shakespeare + Dulwich College London

Last week, Senior School students enjoyed a night of Shakespeare in our 'Picnic Under the Stars' evening. During the evening our students tuned in to an online webinar hosted by Dulwich College London discussing The Bard's early work and celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio. As part of the event, Dulwich College London took the opportunity to showcase the College’s artifacts related to this time in history.

Seven years after William Shakespeare’s death, his collected works were published in what is known as the First Folio. 750 copies were produced; however, it is estimated that only 235 remain. Dulwich College London has one such copy. Edward Alleyn (1566-1626), founder of Dulwich College, was a prominent and successful actor who took on many lead roles in plays written by William Shakespeare. These deep historical ties with Shakespeare give Dulwich College a unique connection to the First Folio: the key focus of the webinar.

The webinar was followed by a screening of a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You. Our students enjoyed both the webinar and screening with a comfy ‘Picnic under the Stars’ in our Black Box Drama Studio.

Did you know?

Dulwich College International have an exclusive partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). Commenced in 2016, this partnership involves deep collaboration between DCI and RSC. RSC provides training for Dulwich College International teachers to help them integrate Shakespearean performance techniques into their classroom teaching. The RSC also offers workshops and masterclasses for Dulwich College International students, giving them the opportunity to work with professional actors and directors.

In addition, Dulwich College International schools host RSC productions, and students have the opportunity to attend performances and participate in backstage tours. This allows students to experience the plays in a live theatre setting, deepening their understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare's works.

Our exclusive partnership between with the Royal Shakespeare Company is designed to promote an appreciation of Shakespeare's plays and to help students develop the skills and confidence to engage with and perform Shakespeare's works.