We streamed our first Live Lesson direct from the Romeo and Juliet rehearsal room to over 150 schools across the UK last week (25 January). 

There were 17,000 students watching from their classrooms as Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman and actors Bally Gill (Romeo) and Karen Fishwick (Juliet) explored the balcony scene. Students could also access resources before the lesson, including a film of the model box showing of the set, and exercises that gave them an understanding of the production and a chance to explore the text up until the moment Romeo sees Juliet. 

Schools sent in questions and tweets for Erica and the actors during the session and we have had some lovely feedback:

Thank you so very much for this today: it was a huge help and really inspiring for my class. I feel that they (and I) have seen the depth and meaning of the play and characters in new ways, which is so refreshing. It has helped get my class enthused by the language and plot. 

We would like to pass on our heartfelt thanks at creating such an enriching and fascinating experience for our 200 Year 11 students to be part of today. We were all drawn in by the superb acting from your two leads and loved the way the director kept interrupting the scene, asking them to reflect on how their characters were feeling before trying the scene with a different focus.