Shakespeare Lives at Wellington College International Tianjin

By special invitation from the UK Embassy in Beijing, pupils and staff from Wellington College International Tianjin were invited to perform at the annual British Embassy Open Day, held in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday. Hosted by British Embassy Charge d’Affaires, Mr. Martyn Roper at the Ambassador’s Residence, the College Chamber Choir performed Three Songs of William Shakespeare – composed by Wellington College International Tianjin Housemaster, Toby Roundell, in support of the Shakespeare Lives campaign. Directed by Steve Griffiths, both pupils and staff performed original compositions based on the works of William Shakespeare, entitled ‘O Mistress Mine’ from Twelfth Night, ‘Musick to Heare’ – Sonnet VIII, and ‘It was a Lover and his Lass” from As You Like It. An audience of around 200 people gathered in the Sitting Room of the Ambassador’s Residence to hear this truly unique collection of compositions, with wonderful solo performances from Year 7 pupil, Crystal Hardy, and Director of Studies, Gudmundur Jonsson. Both during the morning and afternoon sessions, the public were once again entertained by Year 7 pupils performing an arrangement of the works of William Shakespeare – All the World’s in Tianjin. This unique arrangement was prepared and rehearsed by the English Department at the College, and included extracts from Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Henry V and King Lear. Staged in the gardens of the Ambassador’s Residence, pupils performed in the round with great confidence and incredible energy to over 500 onlookers during each session. The British Embassy Open Day brought together a range of organisations showcasing the very best of British education, culture, tourism and business, in addition to various departments from the British Embassy providing a real insight into what the UK does in China. Following support of the Shakespeare Lives initiative across the Wellington College Family of Schools, the event was yet another public performance given by pupils at the College in Tianjin, following on from an array of song and dance routines and performances at Showtime!, Music for a Summer’s Evening, and the annual Charity Summer Fair. Marking the conclusion of the inaugural Wellington College International Tianjin Fringe Festival, the performance was a true celebration of the Wellington College in China. With the Tianjin College having recently become the largest international school in the Tianjin Municipality, Senior School pupils at the College will bring to an end a marvelous year for the Performance Arts and English Departments by hosting a Shakespeare Showcase aimed at engaging pupils across the College in Drama and the works of William Shakespeare. Pupils and teachers at the College look forward to further involvement with the Shakespeare Lives campaign during the forthcoming academic year, with support from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and various other British institutions in China. With a learning philosophy that focuses on the development of the all-round pupil, the Wellington College Family of Schools continues to demonstrate that, in the words of England’s most famous playwright, all the world is a stage.