Lewes teacher brings her Shakespearean ‘Dream’ to life

A teacher from Lewes Old Grammar School (LOGS) has breathed new life into one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays.

This month, juniors from Morley House performed a special version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ which was adapted and abridged by LOGS English teacher, Gemma Rham, who writes novels and songs in her free time.

In the spirit of the comedy’s subject matter, Gemma went beyond the call of duty to transform the play into a musical and wrote ten original songs that she added to the production.

Blending together the Elizabethan English with more contemporary dialogue, Gemma incorporated some of Shakespeare’s original lines to give children a flavour of his style. For Oberon and Titania, Gemma kept the formality, pentameter and language; while for the lovers and the Mechanicals, she used a more modern, colloquial translation.

Gemma, who sang in various bands before she became a teacher, said: “Writing the songs was a labour of love for me. I start song-writing by working out lyrics that emphasise a development in the plot or a relationship, and then I twiddle around on the piano until I find the right mood or melody.”

To help students learn lyrics without cumbersome sheet music, Gemma then recorded herself with Miss Jade Jago, a Year 3 teacher.

But with students ranging from Years 3 to 6 involved with the production, Gemma also had to keep in mind the age of the children while adapting the play. “This script was the most demanding I’ve ever done with the juniors,” Gemma continued. “The important thing was not to dilute all that Shakespeare is, and I worked hard to retain the clever wordplay, the humour and the rich language.”

To accompany the songs, Gemma also choreographed new dances for the show. Pupils in Year 3 took part in a dance to introduce Oberon and Titania, while Year 4 students used gymnastics and dance to illustrate a battle between Athenian soldiers and Amazon warrior women.

In a playful nod to the Shakespearean custom of having male actors play female roles, the school also cast a handful of girls in male roles. Bottom was played by Ella Clevely, Lysander by Ambra Clarke and Puck by Amy Head.

Lily Clay, who played Oberon, said: “This is my favourite Shakespeare play and Mrs Rham’s version is easier to understand but still captures the original style. I really enjoying acting and performing and I loved seeing the audience respond so well to our performance.”

“All the children were a delight to work with,” Gemma concluded. “I hope that by adapting the play for the children, I can inspire them to believe in their own abilities and follow their dreams. We might not be on the West End, but the passion and enthusiasm you get from working with these children gives a satisfaction that is hard to beat.”

–End –                               06 April 2017