Reclaim Shakespeare

I’m really sorry, Mr Gove, but I think we need to reclaim Shakespeare now. You’ve had him for a while, you reference him in glowing terms here and here and here. But the thing is, we’re concerned that you don’t really understand his needs. He can’t be just some words on a dry, dusty page in a library. He needs to live, and breathe, and he can only do that through drama. If you keep him trapped in a book, and don’t allow new people to speak and act his words, then something magical will be lost.

A GCSE in Drama is a commitment to our cultural heritage, and our diversity, and our future. It is an investment in young people – both actors and writers: the lifeblood of the art form. Through drama our young people learn to speak confidently, to express themselves creatively, to empathise with others. They study plays in detail, and learn how to bring them to life. (Hey, it also brings tourism and wealth if you want to look at it in those terms.) Drama and theatre simply cannot be something that is only available to the ‘elite’ and the rich. As you have failed to give proper care to Shakespeare, we feel that we must ask his custodians – (the Drama Teachers) – to step in and take him away for his own good.

We would like to #ReclaimShakespeare now. Please return him in the condition in which you found him. Thank you.