Cranford Review 2019

My King Lear Experience
I participated in the “King Lear” production. This
was an exciting yet challenging task. It was my
very first time performing in the awkward silence
beyond the audience…
I found this production amazing. This helped
me boost my confidence and helped me work
with other young people. “King Lear” was
written by Shakespeare in 1606 so the script
at first was also very difficult to understand
but we got through thankfully. We needed to
understand what we were saying in order to
make those exact face expressions and actions.
Performing at the Beck Theatre was pleasurable.
In my primary school we had a stage and a hall of
chairs and benches, we performed for the children
and parents. But Cranford Community College
was surprising as they took me to a REAL theatre
to perform at. This sounded very professional to
me because you get the chance to express your
feelings and talent with a real audience sitting
at your feet. You could also learn specific drama
techniques like when to enter and when to exit.
We produced such amazing scenes that left the
audience in suspense. We had a scene where
there were lots of killing and scenes where all the
characters had to act foolishly for the audience.
Also, there was a scene that made the audience
laugh.
This was the best time I have ever had and I would
love to experience that again.
King Lear
by Cranford Community College
at The Beck Theatre, 13/11/2018
appraised by Robert Beck
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Cranford Community College for your fantastic
production of King Lear as part of the 2018 Shakespeare Schools Festival. It was a brilliant night of
theatre, and I’d like to highlight just a few elements that really stood out.
This was a mature handling of one of Shakespeare's more complicated plays. I love how you rose to
the challenge of performing it and bringing the story to life for us.
I want to highlight your professionalism as a company, both on and off stage, during your
performance day. You are an incredibly hard-working and supportive group that worked so well
together and your show is a testament to that. Your hard work throughout rehearsals was evident
and the result was both heart-warming and heart wrenching (in all the right places!) There was such
power and conviction behind the way you delivered your lines. You took the complex language of the
play and created meaning both for yourself and then for your audience.
Shakespeare works best when it embraces the spirit of ensemble, and this was clearly integral in
your performance. The ensemble sequences, such as Lear's descent into madness and the big battle
sequence, were so dramatic and Gloucester's blinding, in particular, was superbly horrifying and
thrilling – I doubt I’ll ever forget beholding that on stage!
A gripping and powerful performance by a professional and mature company. Well done!
Performing Shakespeare’s words on a professional stage takes courage, resilience, and imagination.
You and your teachers should all incredibly proud of what you have achieved.
I hope to see Cranford Community College in the Festival again next year!
Robert Beck
Dua Abbas (year 8)
47