All major UK exam boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas/WJEC) require students to study a Shakespeare play for GCSE English Literature. The exam demands more than a surface reading - students must analyse language, structure, and dramatic effect, often in response to an extract-based question that assumes an understanding of the whole play in performance.
Our hour-long professional productions give students the chance to experience Shakespeare as it was meant to be: performed. Supported by a detailed, exam-focused resource pack, our offer is designed to help students better understand character, theme, and dramatic intention - while deepening engagement and improving outcomes.
Shakespeare wrote for the stage. Without seeing how a character moves, reacts, and speaks, students miss vital elements of tone, motivation, and relationship - nuances that unlock higher marks in written responses.
Live performance:
Reinforces textual understanding through emotion, voice, and staging.
Makes complex scenes more accessible and memorable.
Strengthens analysis of language and dramatic technique (AO2 and AO3).
Boosts engagement for students of all abilities.
We’re not just some Theatre-in-Education company having a go at Shakespeare. This is our craft.
Co-director Gemma Paget is a classically trained Shakespearean actor with extensive stage experience across the UK. Her productions are sharp, emotionally rich, and rooted in a deep understanding of the text.
Co-director Sean McGrath is Associate Director of the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, one of the UK’s most established celebrations of classical theatre, and the Education Director for The Cambridge Shakespeare Programme. He brings over a decade of experience in directing Shakespeare for diverse audiences, including young people.
Together, we offer a level of experience, quality and insight rarely seen in school touring work - making this not just a performance, but a powerful teaching tool.
Each school booking includes:
A 60-minute performance of a Shakespeare play (e.g. Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest).
A detailed Resource Pack, designed with teachers in mind:
Scene-by-scene summaries
Key quotes and thematic breakdowns
Exam-style extract questions and discussion prompts
Creative extension ideas
This is Shakespeare performed by professionals - with a deep understanding of both the stage and the classroom.
If you’re looking for a meaningful, curriculum-aligned way to bring the text to life, support deeper learning, and offer your students the context examiners are looking for - book your performance today.
To find out more, or to book, please click here to contact our KS3 & KS4 booking team Theatre for Schools.