Workshops bring work of The Bard to life in a fun and creative way

Hundreds of children and adults have been given an introduction to The Bard at free workshops held as part of national Shakespeare Week.Lynn’s St George’s Guildhall partnered with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to deliver an interactive programme for primary schools and community groups.Over two weeks, more than 650 children and West Norfolk residents took part in creative workshops designed to bring Shakespeare’s stories to life in fun and imaginative ways.

“During the first week, we visited local community groups at King’s Lynn, Downham Market, and Gaywood libraries,” said Jane Hamilton, learning and engagement officer at the guildhall and creative hub.

“These groups included Just A Cuppa, Wriggly Readers, STEAM Lab, Family Fun, and Storytime. We explored one of Shakespeare’s stories, and participants created their own character puppets and experimented with costume design.

“The Just A Cuppa adult group particularly enjoyed learning about Shakespeare’s historical connections to King’s Lynn and handling Tudor artefacts,” she added.

The second week saw children immersing themselves in the world of Twelfth Night, as St George’s Guildhall collaborated with Anna Pool from King’s Lynn Festival and Xenoula Eleftheriades from Xen Arts.

The children designed costumes, created soundscapes and choreographed their own dances inspired by Shakespeare’s classic comedy.The initiative was a resounding success with teachers and group leaders praising the workshops for making Shakespeare accessible and engaging for all ages.By blending storytelling with hands-on creativity, the Guildhall’s Shakespeare Week aimed to spark a love for literature in young minds, while also strengthening community connections through the arts. The St George’s Guildhall project, which is supported by funding from the Towns Fund, will see the refurbishment of Britain’s oldest working theatre and the formation of a new creative hub on the site.It is believed the historic listed theatre played host to William Shakespeare himself and other connections to The Bard have also been discovered there.