#ShakespeareNoFilter: the star-crossed lovers share their story on Instagram
Re-live the romance and share the suspense of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in this exciting new piece of digital theatre.
The British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, is partnering with leading arts charity the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain to bring you one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays re-told through the lens of Instagram.
Experience the emotionally-charged tale of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet abridged by Owen Horsley, directed by Kate Hewitt and performed by the charity’s 2016 NYT REP Company, which offers a free practical alternative to formal training... Follow the course of love as acted out on stage and online. Through a series of unique Instagram posts, #ShakespeareNoFilter lets you re-connect with Shakespeare and rediscover the UK's greatest cultural icon!
How can Juliet decide who is the right gentleman? How will Romeo cope with “love’s heavy burden”? With #ShakespeareNoFilter you can join in with the story from your phone, tablet or laptop as well as catch up with all of the posts from #ShakespeareNoFilter
Paul Roseby, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre, said:
“We’re particularly pleased to be partnering with the British Council on #ShakespeareNoFilter this year to bring Shakespeare to young people all over Europe and prove that creativity has no boundaries. I hope that watching our brave young talent telling this timeless story will inspire young people across Europe to engage with theatre and forge new friendships for the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
#ShakespeareNoFilter is all about connecting with Europe both past and present through Shakespeare. Using Instagram will introduce his work to a whole new generation of young people across Europe who like to travel, to experience other countries and cultures, and who will be inspired to find out more about the man whose writing remains popular four centuries on."
National Youth Theatre member Charlotte Law who plays the Apothecary in the production said: “Being part of this production and the National Youth Theatre is best thing I’ve ever done. It has shaped my life for the better, taught me loads of acting skills and given me the chance to make lifelong friends. It’s also introduced me to amazing opportunities like this one with the British Council and I’d encourage all young people from the UK and beyond to get involved.”
Rebecca Walton, Regional Director Europe at the British Council, said: “William Shakespeare is the ultimate storyteller. Our #ShakespeareNoFilter digital campaign gives the Instagram Generation a unique opportunity to connect with the genius of Shakespeare, in a way which is fresh and fun. We’re working with a really talented group of young people who are able to present a fresh and exciting approach to these classic tales. This is one of the many activities taking place across Europe to celebrate the works of Shakespeare – and a powerful example of how we are continuing to engage people through culture ”.
About Shakespeare Lives
The #ShakespeareNoFilter campaign forms part of Shakespeare Lives, a major collaboration between the British Council, the UK’s cultural and education sectors and government departments, working together to boost the UK’s international standing. The British Council aims to reach over 500 million people worldwide through Shakespeare Lives, a major programme of digital campaigns and physical events and activities in 2016. To find out more about the programme please check the following website www.shakespearelives.org or follow #ShakespeareLives.
About the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain is a world-leading youth arts charity, that has nurtured the talent of hundreds of thousands of young people over 60 years. NYT inspires, nurtures and showcases exceptional performers and theatre technicians from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commissioning brave and relevant new writing and reinterpreting classic stories for our time. NYT platforms young talent on West End stages, in stadiums world-wide and at iconic sites both home and aboard, giving young people the opportunity to learn as much about themselves and how to relate to others, as they do about acting and technical theatre. Former members include Daniel Craig, Helen Mirren, Daniel Day-Lewis and Davie Oyelowo.