Dulwich College International and Royal Shakespeare Company Enter New Partnership

SINGAPORE, Nov. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dulwich College International (DCI) today announced a new partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company Education Department for its schools in Asia.

The collaboration offers students aged 10 to 18 years a wide array of opportunities to deepen their understanding of Shakespeare's works through tried and tested strategies from the RSC's rehearsal rooms. The first year programme will include residencies at the schools by RSC artists, tailored student workshops, and access to the RSC's online resources as well as RSC performances in the UK and Asia. The programme culminates in student performances across the DCI network.

"Visual and Performing Arts are central to a Dulwich education," said Fraser White, Executive Chairman and Founder of DCI. "I am excited that we have been able to develop this partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, one of the world's leading and most renowned theatre companies. It adds an extra, valuable dimension to our students' learning, taking it beyond the confines of the classroom."

Commenting on the partnership, Director of RSC Education Jacqui O'Hanlon noted, "We are committed to a long term partnership and meaningful cultural exchange and are therefore delighted to be working in partnership with the DCI schools in Asia. Shakespeare's work belongs to the world; it offers us the opportunity to explore human experience in all its guises, and like all great works of art, helps us understand ourselves, each other and the world we live in. At the RSC we place a special emphasis on sharing the inheritance of Shakespeare's work with children and young people and our educational approaches are inspired by the work of RSC actors and directors in the rehearsal room. There is a wonderful tradition of drama practice and literary study in DCI schools and we are really looking forward to contributing to that in the coming months."  

In addition to student activities, the RSC will offer a structured, residential programme of Professional Learning, supported by online resources, for drama and English teachers across the Dulwich network. In future years, activities for students and teachers will include residencies in the UK, writing and producing plays, workshops on performance and stagecraft, and more professional learning elements.

DCI Director of Schools Brian McDouall added, "This partnership will help students understand many of the complex themes Shakespeare addressed in intimate and creative ways. These themes are still relevant today and keep Shakespeare relevant around the world."

The first activity took place recently in Shanghai, where four RSC artists took part in DCI's annual Shakespeare Festival, featuring student performances of Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest and Hamlet, and conducted a tailored, residential three-day Professional Learning programme for 30 of the group's drama and English teachers.

Both DCI and RSC Education hope to extend workshops to students at nearby local schools, working with them to create performance pieces, which in China may be in both English and Chinese.

DCI schools participating in the first year are Dulwich College Shanghai, Dulwich College Beijing, Dulwich College Suzhou, Dulwich College Seoul, Dulwich College Singapore, Dulwich International High School Suzhou and Dulwich International High School Zhuhai.

For more information, please contact:

DCI
Laurence Cook
Director of Marketing and Communication
M: +65 9271 7090
laurence.cook@indulwich.com

Chinese press enquiries:
Ms Lavinia Tong,
Associate Director of Marketing and Communication
M: +86 137 8897 0351
lavinia.tong@indulwich.com

RSC Education
Jo Hammond
Press Manager
jo.hammond@rsc.org.uk

About Dulwich College International
Founded by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn in 1619, Dulwich College is one of the UK's oldest independent schools. Dulwich College International (DCI) was established to bring the Dulwich education to boys and girls from around the world, and is now the fastest growing UK independent school network overseas. Since 2003, when Dulwich College Shanghai opened its doors to 26 students, DCI's enrolment has grown to over 6,000 students, from over 60 countries attending Colleges in Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai (in Jinqiao in Pudong and Minhang in Puxi), Singapore, Suzhou and Yangon and International High Schools in Suzhou and Zhuhai.

DCI schools are academically selective and provide a well-rounded education founded on academic rigour complemented by rich extra-curricular programmes. They offer a culturally and academically enhanced English National Curriculum leading to the IGCSE programme. Students in the international Colleges follow the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12 and 13 and those in our international High Schools take A-Level examinations. DCI students' academic achievements place the schools alongside the world's best. This is reflected in the university acceptances and scholarships that DCI graduates receive every year.

For further information: www.inDulwich.com

About RSC Education
The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage.

We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre and through our Education work change the way that children and young people experience Shakespeare at school. Our approach is rooted in a 130 year history of making theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and sharing that wealth of skills and knowledge with teachers and students all over the world.

We build long term relationships with school, teachers and communities and particularly those who have the least access to Shakespeare, the RSC and cultural provision. Each year we reach over 530,000 young people in over 1,200 schools across the UK, inspiring children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities and ensuring that Shakespeare is for everyone.

Further information from: www.rsc.org.uk/education