Comedy and creativity help students connect with Shakespeare

For the last three months Ashfield Boys’ High School has been engaging a group of students in a special drama project, working with actor Rob Crawford during their English Literature classes. Rob has been using improvisation, physical drama games, comedy and a graphic novel of Macbeth to get the boys interested and excited about the work of the English playwright, William Shakespeare, whose language can be difficult to read and interpret.

The boys have also attended a show at The MAC, which for some was their first theatre experience, and they had a performance of Macbeth held within the school. The project is boosting confidence, communication skills, and supporting the boys to analyse complex text in a supportive, creative environment.

Kai, a Year 10 pupil at Ashfield Boys’ School, said: “During lessons Rob encourages us all to give reading and performing a go. I used to not want to speak in front of people, let alone perform, but he’s inspired me to stand up and speak out.”

Laura Browne, Head of English Literature, Ashfield Boys’ High School, said: “I’ve seen a real difference in the boys’ engagement levels when they know Rob is coming for a visit. He’s been brilliant at developing a rapport with the boys and raising their interest in starting a Drama Club and studying GCSE English Literature. As a school, we’re really invested in raising aspirations for our pupils and being involved with the Creative Schools Partnership is helping us to do that.”

Ashfield Boys’ High School is one of nine post-primary schools in Belfast and Derry~Londonderry to take part in this round of the Creative Schools Partnership programme, which aims to boost educational outcomes for students by bringing more creative skills into the classroom. The school was awarded funding in November 2025 for a two-year project.

Patricia Lavery, Head of Community Arts and Education, Arts Council of Northern Ireland commented: “It’s thanks to National Lottery funding that the Arts Council is able to support this programme, by connecting an artist with a school, to immerse students in their studies and open their minds to new creative ways of thinking. Bringing creativity into schools enriches learning, inspires young people, and strengthens school communities.”

Marie O’Donoghue, Creative Schools Partnership Programme Manager, Education Authority, commented: “This programme is based on research showing that access to high-quality arts experiences in school can benefit all aspects of learning, including writing ,reading, and communications skills. We’ve seen this impact in previous years of the programme and it’s exciting to see it now taking place with these students in Ashfield Boys’ High School. Bringing Shakespeare off the page and into the room has been transformative – we’ve seen it come to life with these students, building their confidence, strengthening their voices, and helping them see themselves differently, while also encouraging them to think about their futures and what might be possible for them.”

Each of the nine schools awarded funding has been given the chance to develop their own bespoke project, working with professional artists to develop a range of skills from script writing and theatre production, to visual art and performance.

Find out more about the latest round of Creative Schools Partnership funding here: Nine Schools Receive National Lottery Funding To… | Arts Council NI