Macbeth, The Movie Star...and Me

Synopsis: Documentary. Actor David Harewood has five days to turn a group of teenagers from his old school, Washwood Heath Technology College, Birmingham into Shakespearean performers capable of appearing on the stage at the Swan Theatre, Stratford upon Avon. Act II, sc ii from Macbeth is chosen. The five days include casting, rehearsals, and a day in London where they attend an acting workshop at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a session with voice coach Patsy Rodenburg and meet Lenny Henry at the National Theatre on the set of The Comedy of Errors. The programme includes very few few scenes of the children speaking and acting Shakespeare, is formulaic in structure, and tells the audience more about David Harewood than about performing and speaking Shakespeare.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Transmission details: 22 Jun 2012 at 23:50 (Channel: BBC2)
Duration: 45 mins

Production type: Documentary/Educational/News
Plays: Macbeth
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: children; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Untrained actors; School productions

History: The programme was first transmitted on BBC West Midlands 22 April 2012 at 22.25.

SHAKESPEARE