There are still weeks of summer to go! But as back-to-school activities get closer on the horizon, we suggest thinking about ways to mark this special season. Perhaps, like us, you have spent the past months celebrating Shakespeare in various ways that are not quite feasible during the school-year: making the most of summer days with outdoor poetry and / or performance sessions; planning a Shakespeare film festival; or diving into the glorious summertime exploits of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These events may now be drawing to a close, so it’s time to think about mementos that your young actors can take away.
In the same way that we collect seashells from the beach or send postcards from vacation, what matters here is the physical trace of what will soon be a treasured memory.
For instance, you could collect flowers from a special outdoor space that you visited or in which you performed, and then press them to create long-lasting souvenirs. (See helpful guidance here – we suggest the heavy-books or ironing method!) Or, depending on the size of your troupe and the nature of the production, each child could take away a prop or costume accessory that they used. And of course, a group photograph of your summer players is always a lovely idea… Remember, though, to print the photo out rather than simply email or text as an attachment!
As this very blog makes clear, we live in a digital era – one that has its own troves of remarkable Shakespeare resources: early editions of his plays and sonnets, images of performances and illustrations of his works, and even recordings of live performances. But in a world where so much is contained on a computer or phone screen, how much more special it is to have something tangible to keep.