Year 7’s two days of Culture

- alternatively known as their trip to the Globe and Hampton Court

Having left school with a darkening sky, the real concern with the staff was would the weather hold? As we reached the motorway the heavens opened, and it continued to rain until we reached London. Driving in alongside the Thames we saw a number of sites, including James Bond’s “offices”, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament before crossing the river on Lambeth Bridge and heading to our drop off point near the Globe. Grabbing our packed lunches, with the bags slowly disintegrating in the rain, we headed into the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, where in common with many other school groups, we ate our lunch before braving the rain to walk the short distance to the Globe.

Here we split into two groups led by Simon and Fiona who gave us a guided tour of the Globe before taking us into the rehearsal rooms in the depths of the theatre. It was fascinating to watch the rain pouring off the thatch (the Globe being the only building allowed to be built with a thatched roof in London since the Great Fire of 1666) as our two guides kept the group enthralled with the history and details about the Globe. We were very happy at that point that we were not joining the “stinkards” standing in the open. Simon and India had a hilarious conversation about why the audience today sits in the dark whereas in Shakespeare’s time all could see the audience. The Bankside area in those days was the entertainment centre. The rigid laws of the city of London did not apply here, and you would be ferried across the river to watch the blood sports, enjoy the theatre or partake of a drink or two.
The workshop with Fiona was super, with quick-fire instructions, games and text work. The script work was based on the characters from the play we were to see in the evening, 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' and pupils were split into groups and given part of the introduction of the story. Each group had to create a tableau (still picture) to illustrate their section of a story. As each tableau was hi-lighted to the rest of the group, lines were given to some of the characters and the others had to react appropriately. This really enabled the piece come to life and made the story much clearer. When these lines appeared in the play during the performance quite a few of us recognised them and remembered them from the morning.
After leaving the theatre we had a short walk around the locality, spotting among other things the Bear Pit, the Rose theatre, the original site of the Globe (the current one is built on a different site to its original), the Clink prison and a replica of the Golden Hind before heading to Passfield Hall at the LSE where we were to spend the night. Having been allocated our rooms we changed and came back to be dropped at St. Paul’s where we walked across the Millennium Bridge to our evening meal at Pizza Express right alongside the theatre. The children were very well behaved as we tucked into our pre-ordered pizza and ice cream, and the realisation that a large school group does not spell trouble for the restaurant staff paid dividends as the waiting staff warmed to the children. There was time for a little chase around before going into the Globe for the evening performance of “The Merry Wives of Windsor”. Equipped with Mrs Douglas’s notes to guide us through the basics of the play, we noted that it was thought that the play was written in approximately 7 days, following a direct command from Queen Elizabeth herself. It was well acted, the staging was brilliant and the slapstick timing was excellent, but personally speaking I did not rate as one of Shakespeare’s best plays. The children seemed absorbed and a life performance is a great experience, but I found it difficult to get into the flow, it seeming to be more like a sit-com than a play. The Globe can certainly put on a performance though and the play built as it went on to a really enjoyable conclusion.
Having enjoyed the play we then headed to London Bridge underground station where we caught the train back to Euston. For many this was their first time on the Underground and many thoroughly enjoyed this experience. And so to bed…. All were tired and within 5 minutes not a sound was heard until the next morning when we started waking the children at 7.15. After a great breakfast, we re-joined Lloyd on the coach to continue our scenic tour of London, going down the Strand, through Trafalgar Square past Downing Street and the government offices and the Houses of Parliament before turning to drive through South Kensington’s museum quarter and major shops such as Harrods on our way to Hampton Court.
Having picked up our sandwiches, we headed into the gates of Hampton Court – the Tudor approach is a really attractive entrance. Split into two groups, one going to the Clore Educational gallery for a lecture on the “Sport of Kings”, the others heading with Mr Maddock to the Young Henry exhibition. This shows a different Henry to the more formal portrait that all are used to. In his youth Henry was an athlete, and the country’s prestige was raised enormously as he took on and beat a much more powerful nation, the French, with the aid of the Emperor Maximilian. Getting right up close to the original pictures is superb, and the messages contained within the pictures becomes apparent when you realise that they are meant to tell a story, not just be a representation. The painting showing the Field of the Cloth of Gold is hugely detailed, and they have built a copy of the fountain from the picture in the courtyard. The original one flowed with wine – perhaps fortunately the modern one does not, judging from the state of some in the picture. The children were helped to understand the background to the divorce from Catherine and the appearance on the scene of Anne Boleyn, before we moved into the Tudor apartments. Again there is a huge amount of detail to spot, and the children were very good listeners, asking intelligent questions and showing off their knowledge. We examined the picture of Henry and discussed the image that he wanted to portray and compared it with the reality. We looked at the ideal family portrait, once the future Edward VI was born, and many had an idea as to why the portrait could not be true. These kings were ruthless, but then they probably had to be, or someone more powerful took the throne.
After lunch we went into the shops and looked at the Tudor kitchens. A re-enactor playing Henry VIII interrupted our wanders and we enjoyed his performance on the eve of yet another marriage as he arm-wrestled with Sir Thomas Seymour, who surprisingly enough lost. Perhaps he feared for his future! Henry having won the competition, he then entered into debate with his courtiers, explaining why he had to marry again, and insulting in particular Catherine Howard. A clue to his size became apparent when we realised that in the kitchens, they roasted 2000 huge roasts a day. Some picked up the metal cauldrons or the sauce pans - or tried to. They are immensely heavy and these are empty. Image what they would be like full and hot! In reality though the requirements of cooking will not have changed immensely. The children could spot similar things to what they would have in the home – what did impress was the size of everything.
All in all, an excellent trip, other than the weather. The children were very well behaved; they listened well, were prepared to offer their own ideas and opinions and were a pleasure to take away. We apologise for the slightly late return – we can genuinely blame Henry VIII though, as if it was not for him interrupting us in the kitchen we would have been back at the right time. It was worth it though!

Pictures from one of the workshops and The Globe trip can be seen on
the CCJS website in the photo-gallery:
Click here to see these

Click here to see pictures for Hampton Court