Photo Flash: Over 200 Schoolchildren Star in THE DREAM: MET BY MOONLIGHT at The Marlowe

The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, welcomed more than 200 schoolchildren from across east Kent on to its main stage this week (Monday). The young performers were taking part in THE DREAM: MET BY MOONLIGHT, their version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The performances - one from each school - took place in front of a packed audience. Scroll down for photos!

This was the culmination of the national three-year Royal Shakespeare Company's Learning and Performance Network (the RSC's LPN), which locally has seen The Marlowe work with Canterbury High School (the "hub" school) and eight other schools: Bapchild and Tonge Primary, Luddenham Primary, Faversham, Ethelbert Road Primary, Faversham, Canterbury Primary School, Canterbury Road Primary, Sittingbourne, The Orchard School, Canterbury, Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone, and The Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover.

Each school performed a scene from the play, using Shakespeare's original text and their own creative choices, and were supported by an RSC director. As part of the project, Canterbury High School appointed four Year 10 pupils as RSC Ambassadors and they attended a training session in Stratford-upon-Avon, learning everything from stage design to marketing. They put this into practice for the production.

Andy Dawson, The Marlowe's Head of Creative Projects, praised the "passion and dedication" shown by all the students, teachers and staff involved: "Their work throughout the LPN has been exceptional and Monday was fitting evidence of their tireless creativity."

Andy went on: "The Marlowe has made huge progress in staging events like THE DREAM: MET BY MOONLIGHT. It had a high production value that was rare to see on stage with children. The value of such events is difficult to quantify as it has so many positive outcomes for the young people and our community and theatre."

Pupils and teachers were also full of praise for THE DREAM: MET BY MOONLIGHT.

Aaron Taylor (14), of Canterbury High School, is an RSC Ambassador and supported with the set design, props and stage management of the show. He said: "It was a great opportunity, getting to work with The RSC, a professional designer and contributing to the design of something that would be on the main stage of The Marlowe Theatre.

"I loved coming up with the prop ideas so that the audience could follow each character throughout the play, even though they were played by different pupils from different schools. I'm using the work I've done on this project to achieve a Silver Arts Award, which is all about me developing as an arts leader."

Bethany Wallace (13), who played Titania in The Canterbury High School scene, said: "Doing lessons on Shakespeare in English, I didn't realise how much I knew and have picked up from working on this project. When I was on stage, it felt like the theatre is my home. I feel like I can be whatever I want to be now."

Jane Hayes, lead teacher at Canterbury Road Primary School, Sittingbourne, said: "The day gave our children such a unique and invaluable experience and as a result, they are all now more confident and full of self-belief, and have a love of Shakespeare that they will take forward with them through life."

Kathy West, lead teacher at Ethelbert Road Primary School, Faversham, said "It was such a fantastic day. The children loved every minute and will treasure the memory forever."

Canterbury High

Canterbury High

Canterbury High

Canterbury High

Canterbury Primary

Canterbury Primary

Canterbury Primary

Ethelbert Road Primary. Faversham

Ethelbert Road Primary. Faversham

Ethelbert Road Primary. Faversham

Luddenham Primary, Faversham

Luddenham Primary, Faversham

Luddenham Primary, Faversham

Luddenham Primary, Faversham

Canterbury Road Primary, Sittingbourne

Bapchild and Tonge Primary

Bapchild and Tonge Primary