to be concerned that school trip arranged for 12 year olds to see Titus Andronicus at Globe?

[technomedics]

my year 7 child (12) has a school trip planned for next week going to the globe in London. i have researched the play they are planning to see and i am really quite concerned about its content and the appropriateness for 11-13 year olds.
"...14 deaths, brutal rape scenes, mutilation and cannibalism.." apparently acording to both the box office and a recent guardian review
"..Members of the audience have been fainting during the play’s most violent scenes, with others reporting feeling sick and warning of sleepless nights..." the box office says the theatre has laid on 5 trained 'paramedic type' helpers to assist with those who don't cope well with the level of gore on stage.... i am somewhat concerned that the classes have had no preparation for this production and can't see why this play has been chosen for pre teen viewing!!

has anyone been is it hype? from what i remember it is pretty blood thirsty. is there anywhere that plays have any age guidance?

it will be fine.
I saw it a few years back at the globe.
it's theater with crude (historic) special effects.
it's not worse than, lets say star wars or lord of the rings.

the fainting that did happen was in the standing area. it was a hot day and more likely due to skint teenagers not drinking/eating enough all day long and walking through london during the day.

I would be more concerned about them going to see Titus with no preparation. Do you mean that they havent read the play, studied it, etc? In which case, why on EARTH waste everyone's time and effort taking the kids to see it? They will be bored, and the rest of the audience will be annoyed at being stck in the Globe behind YET ANOTHER badly-behaved, uninterested school party.

That sounds like the most stupid idea I've ever heard.

My dept would never entertain such insanity. Far too mature for a year seven to appreciate. Bloody ridiculous.

W

Really don't know why this trip is running. Content is vile. Poor kids!

Flipping "smart" phone. I don't even know how I got on this thread.

I saw news reports about this several weeks ago. I don't consider myself to be squeamish at all, but would think seriously about allowing a child of mine to see this. here

No. It is not suitable play for a twelve year old. I saw it.

I saw Titus as a quite wordly 18 year old and was shocked. A really really bad idea I think.

The content is not vile, but it is probably unsuitable for many sensitive 12 yos. Also it can be staged very differently, and some productions have a real gross out factor.

Never mind the content, it's long, the weather is hot, they will have to stand the whole time, it's a whole Shakespeare play with a very difficult plot, they have done no preparation and they are year 7s. Stupid idea. Waste of a school trip.

I saw news reports about this several weeks ago. I don't consider myself to be squeamish at all, but would think seriously about allowing a child of mine to see this. here

TA is a very violent play. DD is 12 and I know she would hate it, I wouldnt allow her to go.

Its a very good play but the production I saw left me.....troubled? I think thats the right word, I couldnt get the images of Lavinia's assault and mutilation out of my head. They still make me shudder now when I think of it, I was 37 when I saw it and am 41 now so not a school child.

No way would I sign a permission slip for this, I would contact the school and make my concerns known in no small way.

And from reading about this particular production, they seem to be really pushing the brutality of it, its as if they are going out of their way to make it as gory as possible.

Seriously though, speak to the teacher. They researched and risk assessed it so should in theory know all about the issues.

This production is said to be one of the gorier stagings.

I think year7 is too young for this particular interpretation.

Given that TA is the only Shakespeare play on before the end of term I suspect that the decision to go to The Globe was made first and the play being shown is of secondary importance to whoever is organising it.

If they reorganised it for the new school year then they could see A Comedy of Errors, far more age appropriate (and easier for kids to understand!).

fantastic promt responses thank you all for your thoughts and confirmation that this does seem a bonkers idea!!
they haven't read the play, they know nothing about it, they will be lost at best i recon, possibly traumatised and 200 miles from home!

Totally inappropriate.

DD1 (15) has seen a lot of Shakespeare with me, both in the theatre and via the NT and RSC Live streaming events in the local cinema. I am not shy of taking her to demanding productions - Macbeth, Othello and Richard II were all quite difficult emotionally. The death of Desdemona was really shocking but nothing compared to the subject matter of TA.

She's also seen the NT Frankenstein (which incidentally was given a 15 certificate for repeat showings of the filmed version, and all for a bit of male almost-nudity and a not particularly graphic scene in which the Creature is animated.)

I still would not take her to see Titus Andronicus.

I most certainly would not take younger children who will presumably have no or very little experience of live Shakespeare. One of the comedies would be far more appropriate.

It's the worst play I can think of. Violent, hideous plot, no merit whatsoever.
I wouldn't let a Year 7 watch it.

Seen it. Awful production. Woeful acting. Pantomime season comes early. I left at the interval. Completely inappropriate for 12 year olds.

I heard that people were fainting..not sure it is suitable..

I read the reviews of this production. As a 49 year old, there is no way I'd see it myself and I'd be utterly horrified at the idea of any 12 year old being taken to see it, especially wiht no preparation.

As a theatre goer who loves saving her pennies for the occasional London treat, I'd also take a dim view of an unprepared school party being at a production, being either bored or utterly grossed out, and either way probably noisy and restless.

It's a dreadful idea.

exactly !! :)