News

Due to the pandemic, life in Ampleforth College Theatre (ACT) has been very different this year, not least the movement of the annual Exhibition to the end of the Summer Term. For our 2021 offering, ACT are putting together an online Shakespeare Festival. We really want it to be a celebration of Shakespeare performances at the College both past and present and as such, we are reaching out for your help!

In true lockdown style we would like to create a montage of as many different OAs as possible saying the famous speech from 'As You Like It' - 'All the world's a stage...' (below).  If you would like to take part, please record your speech and send a video or audio recording to drama@ampleforth.org.uk.

If that is not your cup of tea, we are also really interested in incorporating your memories or anecdotes of particular Shakespeare plays that you performed in or saw here at the College. This could be in video, audio, photo or text format. If you can, try and include the name of the play, the year it took place or who directed it and what/why it was so memorable.  Please send your recording to drama@ampleforth.org.uk. 

If you are able to contribute, please can your submissions be with us by the end of May. We look forward to sharing the final product with the Society at the end of term.

With greetings,

Rosie Clough 
On behalf of the Theatre

"As You Like It"

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.