Pupils from four of our Trust schools took to the stage on Thursday 19th March for a spectacular performance of Macbeth at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre – an incredible opportunity that our children embraced with confidence, talent and true creativity.
St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School in Hartlepool is an associate lead school, working as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Associate Schools Programme. This long‑term initiative connects schools and regional theatres across England, founded on the principle of collaboration and empowering schools to build strong communities of creative practice. Since joining the programme in 2017 as part of the Archibold cluster in Middlesbrough, St Cuthbert’s has developed a deep passion for Shakespeare, embedding drama, language and performance into school life and becoming an experienced leader within the partnership.
St Cuthbert's were joined in this performance by St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School, St John the Evangelist Catholic Primary School and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, coming together to bring Shakespeare’s famous tragedy to life. Supported by the Royal Shakespeare Company, pupils were given a truly inspiring platform to develop and showcase their oracy, storytelling and play‑making skills.
The performance was filled with powerful speeches, expressive movement and exceptional stage presence from pupils of all ages. Our youngest performers – just Year 1 from St Cuthbert’s – impressed the audience with their confidence and professionalism beyond their years, showing just how transformational opportunities like this can be.
Mr Tennant, Lead Associate RSC Teacher at St Cuthbert's, reflected on the scale of the achievement:
“Working with the RSC has had a significant impact on all schools who have invested in prioritising oracy and play-making. Not only did the pupils on stage show great resilience and confidence, but they also showed exceptional focus even under pressure from such a huge audience! Both KS1 and KS2 pupils were exemplary. Using the RSC play-making techniques from their CPD days, teachers within the cluster should also be praised for their adaptability and for being such good role models. I was so proud to see so many happy and smiling families leaving the theatre. Hopefully, we can improve on this first year experience of a larger cluster performance and make next year even better!”
Jo Wilson, Headteacher of St Cuthbert’s, also expressed immense pride:
“Schools from across Hartlepool and the wider BHCET Trust joined together to perform an amazing version of Macbeth. They showed teamwork, drama skills, oracy and creativity, and have taken the drama into their writing at school. They were amazing and the performance was viewed by an audience of over 360! Their confidence, professionalism and enthusiasm for Shakespeare impressed us all. Well done to all those who took part and a big thank you to the Royal Shakespeare Company for leading the children so well.”
Katherine Fletcher from the Royal Shakespeare Company added her praise for the young performers:
“The performance was truly inspiring. The young people demonstrated exceptional talent, creativity, and confidence on stage. What stood out most was not only the quality of their performance, but the way they supported one another throughout – showing genuine teamwork, encouragement, and mutual respect. Their professionalism was evident in every aspect of the production, from their focus during the performance to their conduct throughout the whole day.”
A heartfelt thank you goes to all the teachers and staff whose dedication, guidance and hours of rehearsals made this ambitious project possible. This performance not only celebrated Shakespeare’s enduring work, but also the remarkable potential of our pupils when given the chance to shine on a bigger stage.
