Wullie Shakespeare.

You speak an infinite deal of nothing.

-- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice


I read an article in The Telegraph today in which actor and former artistic director of the Globe Theatre, Mark Rylance, was quoted as saying that he was ''dead against'' exams in school on Shakespeare. He added that the ''forced march to an exam test'' with questions that were simply right or wrong could lead to children feeling ''culturally inferior'' with ''all their demons packed around it.''

What a load of rubbish!!

Testing children on anything will give them demons, it's not particular to Shakespeare. And if it isn't tested in schools, then it won't be taught in schools, making it die out, and then where will we be?! I'd rather have a test on Shakespeare than Maths any day of the week. And since when has testing on Shakespeare been multiple choice? Never, that's when!

Some of my best experiences of Shakespeare growing up were as a teenager in Cheshire Youth Theatre, and I now work with a group of 11-13's in Dundee who are asking if we can do some Shakespeare in our sessions. Yes, they are actually requesting it!

No, it is the job of the teachers, practitioners like me, and dare I say it, Mark Rylance himself, to make Shakespeare exciting, accessible, interesting, engaging, thought-provoking, culturally relevant ... the list goes on!

I just hope I don't give anyone any demons.

Oh, the pressure!

ps. If you are interested, here is the article.