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?

Tech are you going to contact the school about it?

Is there anyway that you can get the other parents made aware of the plays content as many may not know if theatre isnt their thing?

This is the first time I have suggested this but.....what about your local paper? You could contact them and say that you want to remain anonymous but that you have serious concerns about this trip and include links to reviews and descriptions of the play.

Obviously only do that if the school dont consider your concerns.

I don't think it is right to compare a live performance to a film either. Live theatre is much more intense, even when the special effects are a lot less realistic than a film.

Titus Andronicus is not a good choice for 12 year olds on a school trip especially unprepared ones. I saw it after reading it ahead of time and found it tough enough to cope with as an adult. YANBU to be concerned.

Charles and Mary Lamb didn't even bother trying to adapt Titus Andronicus for children in their book called, Tales from Shakespeare.

I think that alone tells you something about its suitability for year 7 children.

No way, José!

A friend in London saw it . She's 55 and had to leave it to be sick. The staff had a bucket ready and were very kind apparently.

i have posted on our facebook local hub as i know a fair few parents i know are members there. i have emailed my son's form tutor and the head of Drama this pm but i guess its too early to expect a response as yet. i phoned the school but had to leave a message. My son will not be going, i have talked it through with him and he is not keen now he knows what its all about. He thoroughly enjoyed playing the part of Demetrius in the Shakespear for schools production of 'a midsummer night's dream' and watched hamlet, macbeth and romeo and juliet. i dont want to spoil his interest
i will keep you informed of things...., thanks everyone so much. i did think i was being a prude but i feel much happier now knowing i am in plentiful company. i have printed this and a few reviews off and will try and find a teacher in school to discuss my concerns.

And it has the worst line in all of Shakespeare: "Come, brother, take a head" as he actually takes in hand a human head.

Sounds terrible OP. so what will you do?

X-posts, glad to hear your DS won't be going, I hope you can spread the word. They won't take them to see an 18 film, so why on earth this?

You're definitely not a prude!

I like films and I like theatre. I don't like to watch 18 rated stuff myself, whether in the cinema or on the stage, and I definitely wouldn't take a 12-year-old to it. It's not prudishness. It's being cultured enough to realise that theatre and cinema are more nuanced than cinema=entertainment or theatre=educational.

Sadly, whoever did the booking evidently just thought
Shakespeare=educational; Shakespeare=suitable for all. Er, no. He didn't make his living just by being highbrow and doing a good line in iambic pentameter. He made it with his ability to filling seats with anyone who had money to spare. All the seats. Including the peanut gallery, not just the boxes.

/pompous

OP There will be a screened performance of The Tempest on 30 June. It has Roger Allam as Prospero and Colin Morgan as Ariel. I saw it at The Globe last year and it was wonderful. Genuinely funny and moving. Take your son to that instead if it's on near you.

www.cineworld.co.uk/mobile/whatson/globe-on-screen-the-tempest?cinema=78

fantastic thank you yes it is on in Cardiff monday evening :)

I saw it when it came to the Globe a few years ago. It's my favourite Shakespeare play ever! I would have loved it as a 12 yo, but I was a bit odd even then , although I don't like cinematic horror at all. I'm sure some of the Year 7s will be rather sensitive about it, but others I'm sure will enjoy it immensely. Think it is a bit pointless going to see the play without having studied it though.

Oh Em Gee!

I didnt know about The Tempest and it is on at our local cinema!

Can I add an "AIBU" to this thread? WIBU to ask school if DD can go in late on the Tuesday because she really will struggle with a late night, she does miss her sleep.

I trump you OP

My son's school produced Titus - uncut!

Good god, can't believe they're taking 12 year olds to see Titus Andronicus. Horrendous subject matter and complicated as hell. Ugh.

Technomedics- the Shakespeare fr schools productions are abridged- and rightly so, in my opinion. Don't judge your son's ability or inclination to sit through a full length Shakespeare play by the fact that he liked the abridged ones.

Whatever Mumsnetters would have you belive, it is a very rare 12 year old indeed would would enjoy any but a couple of the plays uncut on stage.

I haven't seen a production of it but have read it.

No way would I take a twelve year old to see it. I'm not even sure most would enjoy studying it.

On the Globes page there is a video trailer for it which has a warning for graphic content.

I just laughed out loud when I read this!

As a teacher who loves Titus, I would never DARE to take students to see it or study it below A level age.

It's amazing and they will probably love the gore, but the rape and mutilation of their victim is probably a bit strong for that age group. They cut her tongue out and her hands off, and she crawls around the stage. It is nasty.

I suspect the teacher doesn't know the play...

Save them from themselves!!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_Andronicus

Will add, I'm fairly sure the film is an 18 certificate, which sums it up.

People think Shakespeare is 'fine'. I went to see the film at the cinema and half of the audience walked out. They weren't expecting that level of violence.

The rape scene, where she is mutilated and they mock her, is horrific.

I'd be ringing the school and getting them to change it - the teacher won't know what they are taking them to, as, if they did, there is NO WAY they would have booked it.

I also suspect the dept/teacher may not know the play. She is the drama teacher though so this also troubles me!! A full uncut Shakespeare play is totally different to the very much simplified 'for schools' versions. Completely agree they did that in year 6 so it would have to be really. It concerns me that little care has apparently been given to both the subject matter and it's effect on some young minds. Even gaming has age restrictions on these themes.