A crowd-sourced version of Macbeth featuring schoolchildren from the UK and around the world re-enacting their favourite parts of Macbeth has been unveiled as part of Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day. Renowned actor and theatre director Fiona Shaw, CBE, has provided the voiceover for the short film.
Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day encourages schoolchildren of all ages to learn about Shakespeare as a playwright for the whole world, by joining in global celebrations of his 400th anniversary this year.
Schoolchildren from across the globe including the Congo, South Africa, Mexico, Greece, Colombia, Croatia and Bangladesh, have all contributed to the retelling of Macbeth using video, photos, audio clips, illustrations, posters, presentation slides, comic strips, cardboard puppets - and even an Instagram photo feed.
The competition attracted 79 entries from 29 countries with 10 schools making the final cut of the video. The film also incorporates illustrations by writer and illustrator, Nick Hayes.
The schoolchildren were invited to choose a favourite scene or key speech from the play and illustrate it, capture it or perform it.
Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day is part of the British Council’s global programme of events and activities to mark this special 400th anniversary year marking the death of Shakespeare.