This year’s Eastbourne Schools Shakespeare Festival was arguably the most successful ever.  The nine local schools –  Bishop Bell, Causeway, Cavendish, Eastbourne College, Eastbourne Technology College, Moira House, Ratton, St Bede’s and Willingdon – participated in an evening of shared Shakespearean excellence as nine brief interpretations of Romeo and Juliet were performed to parents and teachers from all the schools in the College Theatre on Tuesday night.  The pieces were of the highest standard. Highlights included Ratton’s Stomp inspired movement and text piece with six foot staves used to create thumping rhythms and stage fights; Causeway’s remarkable speech and dance piece set to a ten-minute music track, beautifully and movingly performed; and St Bede’s choral speaking epic poem version of the tale. Our own interpretation featured a comic take on the play, performed with great energy and commitment by Patrick Davies and Aurore Ollivier as the star crossed lovers, supported by Isobel Gonzales, Lizzie Prideaux, Nik Salway and Toby Marriott. 

On Thursday buses sponsored by Eastbourne College took all nine school parties up to London to the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre to see the Globe's version of Romeo and Juliet, which was expertly performed by a dynamic cast, two of whom (Philip Cumbus who plays Mercurio and Miranda Foster who plays Lady Capulet)  were kind enough to give the Eastbourne visitors a formal and enlightening talk-back session afterwards.