Shakespeare society stage five-day Shakespeare-a-thon for charity

Between Monday and Friday this week, Shakespeare society sat outside the Windsor building around the clock reading Shakespeare for charity. Over the five days, they covered the 37 classic plays including Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, as well as four Shakespeare collaboration plays and 154 sonnets.

where the magic happens.

It all kicked off on Monday evening with the cast and crew of this term’s production of Cymbeline reading through the play and since then, it’s been non-stop Shake. People popped by in between lectures to read a few lines and some people even turned up after a night at the SU. Anytime is Shakespeare time. Plus, anyone who read got a free badge and everyone loves a free badge.

It was cold, it was dark, it was worth it. We cymbelieved

President of the Shakespeare society Dan Jones said: “The best thing about the Shakespeare-A-Thon is the community that it creates. Students, regardless of their degree want to actively come out and read their favourite play at 4am and have a good time. It’s great.”

Shakespeare by torchlight

The commitment to the event has been incredible with students willingly sacrificing their sleep to sit out in the cold and read some Shakespeare. Amber Lickerish, A first year Drama student was awake for 26 hours across Wednesday and Thursday while Josip Martinčić, a Drama and English student, was awake for 23 hours.

Very little sleep I’ve had

Vice President of the society, Kerry Harrison said: “I’ve spent 21 plus hours in a gazebo. It’s taken its toll but seeing new faces is always nice.”

Still going strong

There was rarely a dull moment in the Bardification tent, with Julius Caesar in the voice of Tony Harrison, various questionable accents, King Lear and Cordelia trying to out-northern each other and, of course, the well-loved sexual innuendo bell. I’m pretty sure the final scene of Cymbeline would have been about 20 minutes shorter if the innuendo bell wasn’t being rung every other line.

Did someone say long sword?!

The event has proved to be a great success as between the online donations and the donations from the tent, they have so far raised over £600 for the charity Dramatize. It’s been a long, cold, entertaining week but braving the wind and the rain at all times of day has certainly been worth it.

If you would like to donate to the Shakespeare-A-Thon, there’s still plenty time to do so right here.