At the start of each year, young people and teachers at many schools all over England will be anticipating with excitement a visit from one of a number productions the Young Shakespeare Company send to primary and secondary schools. The short video of Macbeth, (on my video page), shows how a good storyteller and talented actors using Shakespeare’s text can really involve the children and bring to life the Bard’s plays. Each performance is also linked to a pre production workshop

Each year director Chris Geelan decides which play will become this years theatre show and meets with designer Bridget Kimak and musical director Jenny Gould to devise a new production. That production will start by touring to schools in the round. This gives me the opportunity to photograph the pre-school dress rehearsal. It’s a fast moving assignment and if you miss something it’s gone but it is great fun.

I usually make the resulting pictures black & white because of the mix of lights at the rehearsal location. Once the photos are ready YSC are able to share the energy and excitement of the production without giving away too much. Additionally of course when the production moves to touring to theatres my experience of the show will (hopefully) help me shoot better theatre dress shots.

The YSC’s Twitter feed also demonstrates the value of social media to theatre companies. Many schools use it to share the great quality, value and excitement of a YSC visit. The perfect recommendation.