Julius Caesar
(Sequence Four)

Ethnicity and Shakespeare

Mohammed Dabo at Kingsdale School outlines the value of Shakespeare to his students. He emphasises the opportunities that performing Julius Caesar give his class to celebrate the African cultural background enjoyed by a significant proportion of his multi-ethnic class.

The strength of this approach is immediately apparent, with students responding to the kinds of ritual show associated with Caesar's grand entrances. The sequence makes the case for adaptation and the strong presence of music in any production of Shakespeare. The drumming that accompanies Caesar's progress is already well established and gives the scene a strong sound-structure around which to build movement and speech.

The teacher's own ethnic African origins are a major advantage here. He is able to use his own cultural knowledge to advantage – instructing the girls in their performance in ways that might be more complicated for non-Afro Caribbean staff members. The girl-dancers seem perfectly happy to engage in the kind of display asked of them.

The sequence is also a tribute to the value of teacher enthusiasm in carrying a whole class. It is Mr Dabo's preparedness to join in and take risks that helps him inspire the class not only to perform but also to make their performance sufficiently big for a theatrical setting.