Student off to study Macbeth
She may not know too many of Shakespeare’s plays, but a Stratford student has been selected to perform them with some of the country’s top rising talent.
‘‘I’m not really into Shakespeare but I do like musical theatre outside of school,’’ Estella Van Der Lee said.
The 16-year-old is one of 48 students from around the country who is heading to the National Shakespeare Schools Production next month.
Estella was picked for the production after winning the individual performance at the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival in Stratford in April.
‘‘I must admit I’m not into Shakespeare and I’m going into this thing where everyone is going to be ‘thou art’ and ‘my pantaloons are descending’, so yeah, I’m terrified,’’ she said.
She had borrowed a copy the Bard’s Macbeth, the play she would be learning while in Dunedin, and said she was beginning to take up more of an interest in the plays. Estella said she started off her acting career by learning ballet with Stratford teacher Diane Jeffares.
‘‘I did ballet for a few years and musical theatre, which is singing, dancing and acting.
‘‘I wasn’t really into ballet so I gave that up eventually and continued on with the musical theatre.’’
While she doesn’t study drama at school, Estella said she enjoyed doing it after school.
‘‘It’s really fun pretending to be someone else,’’ she said.
‘‘It just brings out a whole different part of yourself that you didn’t know existed.’’
The production starts on September 24 and includes 10 days of intense learning.
‘‘If you have a look at the program, there’s no free time and I’m really scared,’’ she said.
Of the 48 students participating, 24 would be picked to study at the Globe Theatre in England next year. Estella said she was hoping to get picked to head overseas, if she could raise the money to do it.
Stratford High School and the Rotary Club had already contributed to her Dunedin trip, which she was grateful for, she said.
- David Burroughs