Eva Weld’s love and talent for Shakespeare will be taking her to London later this year.
Weld, who attended Paraparaumu College, was one of 48 students who were selected to perform in the National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP) in Dunedin.
The NSSP got the students working together for nine days of workshops, tours, talks, and rehearsals.
“It was an absolute honour learning from some of the best directors whose lives revolve around Shakespeare.”
After the nine days, 24 of the best students were given the opportunity to head to London to perform at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Weld was one of those 24 and said it’s been a goal of hers for a long time.
“It’s something I have always wanted to do.”
Eva Weld (red top/brown belt) and the cast from one of their plays.
It hasn’t been revealed what play they will be performing yet, and Weld said they only get three weeks to learn, practise and perform the play while also going to live performances and attending workshops and tours.
“It’s a bit of performance and drama as well as an educational trip.”
The group leaves on June 29 and gets back on July 19, and Weld said she is planning on sharing what she learns in London with the Kāpiti community.
“That could be through a performance or teaching some of the youth from Paraparaumu College.”
Weld said she finds the challenge of Shakespeare to be the most fascinating part.
“It’s like learning a whole new language.”
This love for new challenges translates into other aspects of her life too – and she’s now studying first-year health sciences at Otago University which she finds academically stimulating.
She’s always loved Shakespeare, and this only grew when she was offered the role of Lady Macbeth in Year 9.
Eva Weld acting in a Shakespeare play.
It’s a team effort, and Weld said she has developed bonds with many of her castmates.
Her fundraising efforts started in October when she found out she was invited to London, and she worked part-time over the summer, but with her busy schedule as a health sciences student, she can’t work as much now.
Weld needs the community’s help to get her to London, and she had raised over $1000 of her $10,000 goal on Givealittle.
