In Act 2, Scene 7 of As You Like It, the character of Jacques reminds us that “all the world’s a stage”– bringing to mind the various parts we play not only throughout our lives, but in our day-to-day interactions. Here, we want to talk about worlds and stages in a more literal sense: thinking, that is, about how and where plays can be put on.
Everyone reading this blog will be working with young actors across a variety of contexts – formal classrooms, home-schooling spaces, maybe even a neighbourhood play group. The facilities will, by necessity, be different in each; some of you may have dedicated auditoriums where bigger plays can be staged, and others will be turning their living rooms into a theatre! And that versatility is what we want to celebrate.
Such is the beauty of Theatre as a work of imagination: We do not need a formal stage or fancy costumes; we do not have to wait for the “perfect moment” to stage a production. On rainy days when the kids cannot go out to play, a sheet or tablecloth can become a backdrop against which they speak their lines. On crisp Autumn afternoons, a park or the backyard becomes an outdoor theatre with a blanket, snacks, and a book of Shakespeare’s Sonnets to read aloud.
If indeed “all the world’s a stage,” then think of all the opportunities for putting on a show! The magic of Theatre can take place literally anywhere you can bring together actors and an audience – and, most importantly, the transformative power of Shakespeare’s words.