DCB Joins Worldwise Shakespeare Festival 2024 on a Magical Journey

Over 130 students were welcomed to Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong for this year’s Worldwise Shakespeare Festival, including 20 students from Dulwich College Beijing, in partnership with Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) Creative Learning and Engagement.

During the three-day festival from 24-26 October, which was based around the theme ‘Journeys’, the students from nine Dulwich College International and Dehong schools explored their connection to Shakespeare and how his works speak to them and their world today. This included a special focus on issues such as climate change and the emergence of advanced technology such as AI.

Students joined nine immersive workshops led by five RSC Associate Learning Practitioners, a mixture of actors and directors, and each night three schools brought their final performances to the stage. The festival was launched with a special performance from the Beijing Opera Club and an appearance by an AI-generated Shakespeare. 

Alexander Tew, Head of Drama at Dulwich College Beijing, shared how this unique collaboration with world class theatre practitioners like the RSC enables our students to gain invaluable insights into professional theatre practices, boosts their creative skills, and experience the transformative power of performance in a global context. “This special experience, along with the opportunity to collaborate with other passionate drama students from other EIM (Education in Motion) schools, has left our students inspired, and they returned to campus full of energy and intrigue. We are very grateful for everyone involved in making this happen.”

Each of the nine participating schools - Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong, Dulwich College Beijing, International High School Programme Suzhou, Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi, Dulwich College (Singapore), Dulwich College Seoul, Dehong Xi’an School, Dehong Beijing International Chinese School, and Dulwich College Suzhou – are part of the Education in Motion (EiM) family, which coordinates the Worldwise Events programme, a rolling series of educational events that includes the Shakespeare Festival.

Edgar Zillmann, Head of Events and Educational Partnerships at EiM, said, "The Worldwise Shakespeare Festival was a transformative experience, bringing together students and teachers from nine EiM schools to explore Shakespeare's relevance in today's world. Led by the talented practitioners of the Royal Shakespeare Company, students dived into immersive workshops and powerful performances, not only discovering the richness of Shakespeare’s work but also honing essential life skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork. Reflecting our educational philosophy, this festival embodies our commitment to holistic learning, where students engage deeply, think critically, and develop a sense of global citizenship. These educational initiatives are central to our Worldwise Events programme and testament to our mission to nurture future leaders who are not only academically skilled but also empathetic, innovative, and resilient thinkers."

During the RSC-led workshops, students explored Shakespeare’s language through different lenses, focused on the various forms of ‘Journeys’ in Shakespeare’s plays and delved into a wide range of theatre and drama skills from improvisation to the use of space or the introduction to ‘Verbatim Theatre’. Each RSC Associate Learning Practitioner brought a new perspective and approach, enabling the students to explore a broad spectrum of topics and helping them to not only develop their understanding and passion for Shakespeare and theatre but also further improve their communication, leadership and teamwork skills. 

Victoria Cholmondeley, Senior Partnerships Development Manager, at the RSC, said, “The RSC practitioners and I could not have been more impressed by the student’s energy, commitment and creativity. Seeing their fabulous teamwork and skills being developed in workshops, and watching their interpretations of the festival theme, Journeys, in the evenings. Their joy of performing Shakespeare shone through and they so perfectly depicted why still today his plays have such relevance to young people worldwide. We can’t wait to come back next year and continue our journey with all the EiM schools!”