Pupils from Sprowston High School are getting ready to star alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company in a special production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The 30 young people have been picked to appear in the Norwich performances of the RSC's touring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Play For The Nation which is marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death.
Today, they enjoyed a workshop with Sarah Downing from the RSC who said she was impressed with the group's 'fabulous energy.'
About their part in the Shakespearean comedy about love and magic, she said: 'They come on first with Oberon and Titania at the beginning as Titania's fairy train and they listen to the arguments between Titania and Oberon – and then later on they have to sing her to sleep with the fairy song. Then they are involved in a dance in the wedding at the end with all the actors and the fairies, and right at the end they say a blessing and they all come out and have a line to say.'
Among those taking part are Cindy Rukara, 12, and Lily Kerby, 11, both from Sprowston, and Aaron Ford, 12, from Old Catton.
Cindy said: 'I can't wait and I think it will be really exciting to be on stage at Norwich Theatre Royal, although we might be a little nervous at first.'
Lily said: 'I've enjoyed learning about the words today and seeing what they mean. I think it is going to be so much fun acting with the RSC actors. We have seen some of the people we will be acting with and they are really good.'
Aaron said he had performed in a Shakespeare play before, playing Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, and said: 'It's going to be a bit nerve-wracking when you are out in the wings, but then when you are out on the stage it will be great fun. We've been making freeze frames of what is happening in the play and they have been taking us through the language today and telling us what it means as the language is quite difficult.'
The show will be at Norwich Theatre Royal from April 26 to 30. Visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
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