Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festivals playing out

It’s Shakespeare centre-stage in the annual festivals. Photo / Getty Images

“Blow winds and crack your cheeks…” said King Lear.

However, young people throughout the motu are keen to not let the recent blows, physical and metaphoric, curb their desire to perform in this year’s SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festivals.

Despite still having to navigate the effects of the cyclones and absences caused by Covid, all 24 festivals are planned to be live this year. However, there is still an option for digital entries if necessary.

“It is exciting to see less familiar plays, amid the more popular ones, being tackled and also made relevant to today - The Winter’s Tale, Pericles, Timon of Athens, to name but a few,” remarked SGCNZ CEO Dawn Sanders. “With all delving into the human psyche, relationship problem-solving, interaction and reaction, and communication skills are developed.”

It is widely reported that Covid has caused an increase in homeschooling. Clusters of these students enter scenes, as may those in community youth drama groups. Socialisation and the ability to experience inclusivity in safe environments, while gaining education on many levels, are direct benefits. The different ‘takes’ include richness through cultural and gender diversity.

“It can be difficult to explain how utterly transformative SGCNZ’s opportunities are to those who haven’t experienced them,” said teacher Leigh Sykes. “As a parent, I see the evidence in my own son every day. From a Year 8 student struggling to find his place in a new school, to the confident, outgoing young man making plans for scenes for the next festival, the growth has been incredible.”

While each stage is designed to be stimulating and enjoyable, it is exciting to be back in the prestigious, newly strengthened and redecorated St James Theatre, and with highly acclaimed actor Robyn Malcolm as one of the scene assessors. She will also be the guest speaker at our event in Parliament on Monday, June 5, kindly hosted by Hon. Grant Robertson.

From the Regional and National Festivals, 46 student actors and directors are chosen - along with the Supreme Winners of the SGCNZ/Morrison Music Trust Shakespeare Music Composition Competition and SGCNZ/Dawn Sanders Shakespeare Costume Design Competition - to attend SGCNZ’s National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP) nine-day intensive, to be held in Wellington this year in September/October.

From this cohort, 24 will be chosen to go to the Globe in London in July next year for a specially tailored two-week course, including performing on the Globe stage, followed by four days in Stratford-upon-Avon. Last year, SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company comprised 44 members, from those selected in SGCNZ NSSP 2020, 2021 and 2022. Meanwhile, 24 selected young people are busy raising funds for this year’s SGCNZ YSC trip.

The regional festivals take place between March 17 and April 6 nationwide. Details can be found on SGCNZ’s website and on the University of Otago’s, where registrations of the festival scenes are made.