SHAKESPEARE


The Adopt an Actor scheme was founded in 1998 at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and aims to give students an insight into what the actors go through when in rehearsals. Lubna Ahmed met the Globe’s Hayley Bartley to find out more


What is the scheme all about? “The scheme was founded 13 years ago and began with specific schools and specific actors in mind. It was initially targeted at students but it became available to everyone around the world. Adopt an Actor follows the progress of an actor


during the course of rehearsals and shows. The reader can sign up for updates by email and if they subscribe, they will receive an email each time letting them know that (the site) has been updated. This season, we have used 18 actors – although in the archive there are more than 100 actors who have taken part.”


Who came up with the idea?


“Before the internet came about, Fiona Banks (The Globe’s head of learning) used to send schools letters about the Adopt an Actor scheme, so instead of podcasts, as is available to us now, letters were written by the actors and sent to the teachers so that they could read them out to the students. Also sent with them were fabrics and photos.”


What challenges have you faced?


“Challenges include getting hold of the actors, due to their busy schedule. I catch them during their lunch or after rehearsals take place and on the odd occasion, during the productions. Another challenge comes because the productions


Adopt an Actor


Theatrical insight: Arthur Darvill, who will play Mephistopheles in Doctor Faustus at the Globe this summer, is one of the actors taking part in the Adopt an Actor scheme


are split into two: home production and touring. The touring means that the actors are in different locations around the country and the only way I can talk to them, provided that they have time, is on the phone. And that is pretty difficult when there are signal problems! We are also in the process of updating our website


so that instead of using two sites (one for the Globe and a separate one for the education programme), our aim is to combine the two departments into one website, making it easier for people to access.”


What skills do the children learn?


“Aside from being entertainment, we see the Adopt an Actor scheme as a learning tool. It’s a learning process where the actors can air their opinions and feelings on the different departments that come together to make a production successful – like the text being the main focus, then their movement, the voice, the research the actors have to do to get into their characters, which


all in all gives them an insight into the play they are performing for the audience.”


What do the teachers get out of it?


“The Adopt an Actor scheme is essentially a learning tool to help teachers by showing the students the actors’ insights into the plays. There is also a glossary in case some people are not familiar with the terminology.”


What do the actors think about it all?


“The actors really enjoy it. They are constantly asking questions and are generally really interested. Once I put together a piece, I send a link to the actor concerned and they give me their feedback.”


And where next?


“The Adopt an Actor scheme is accessible as it can help the reader/listener relate to the productions. We started off by doing it through paper, then we used transcriptions and now we are using audio. Who knows? Maybe in the future we may see video podcasts.”


Further information www.globe-education.org/discovery-space/adopt-an-actor


What do teachers think?


Ginger Bryant, a teacher from America “There is just something so exciting about being able to hear an actor discussing the proceedings at the theatre. It truly brings the production to life for us, even though we never get to see a particular production. The actor’s voice becomes familiar, and the class really starts to take ownership of ‘our’ actor. “The recordings actually prompt my


students to ask for the next posting. It also sparks a lot of classroom inquiry and takes our decisions in new directions. We can actually hear the organic thought process taking place, almost as if the actor is making new realisations at the time of speaking. It feels like they are in the room with us.“


SecEd • July 7 2011


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Photo: Keith Pattison


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