Shall I compare thee to a rap star?

Royal Shakespeare Company launches hip-hop app to attract youngsters

THE Royal Shakespeare Company must capture students’ enthusiasm before they conclude the Bard is boring, its director of education has said, as she launched an app teaching Much Ado

About Nothing through rap. Jacqui O’Hanlon said the app would act as a “trail of breadcrumbs to the original work.

The app’s rap lyrics are derived from Shakespeare’s insults, and his characters’ amorous exchanges. It challenges users to spot the dif- ference between the Shakespeare rap and those of modern hip-hop artists.

Intended for use by pupils aged 11 to 16, it is designed to capture the imagination of young people before they come to the conclusion Shakespeare is not for them.

Developed with Samsung by the RSC using their own research, theatre and actors, it will be marketed to schools and teachers.

O’Hanlon, the director of education at RSC, said the programme should be welcomed even by purists, as it was aimed at showing students the power of the language.

One of the three sections it offers, introduced by David Tennant, will test users on whether certain lines of text are the work of Shakespeare or from contemporary hip-hop artist Akala.

“Often it’s hard to identify which is which,” said O’Hanlon.

“It’s trying to capture the imagination of young people who might have a preconception that Shakespeare is boring and irrelevant, and actually have them discover or rediscover that this language is potent and political and powerful. Powerful just the same way that a lot of hip-hop lyrics are: language is power.

“It’s inviting students to think again about Shakespeare’s language.”

A second section will encourage students to lip sync to famous Shakespearean insults, or practice how to woo with his lines of love.

From there, they will be introduced to a more traditional version of Much Ado

About Nothing, that includes tips from actors and directors and, eventually, performing the part of Benedict or Beatrice opposite a virtual RSC actor.

The app, called RE: Shakespeare and available via Google Play, is deliberately aimed at students who will be getting their first formal introduction to Shakespeare’s works.

“We know that the earlier you can get to young people, the better the experiences they have,” said O’Hanlon.