Year 12 students ponder Othello production in new podcast

Earlier this term, 24 of our Year 12 English students travelled into London to experience Othello at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Students created a podcast to discuss their views, after feeling surprised by some of the choices the production made with the classic text.

The trip was organised by Head of English, Sarah Church, whose class followed it up with their recording of ‘Perse Ponders’, which discusses and debates the question: ‘Is Othello a Tragedy?‘

Taking inspiration from BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time, the episode runs to about 53 minutes and covers feminist and race-based readings of the play with some impressive critical depth. Primarily for revision, Sarah suggests ‘it’s worth a listen’ for anyone interested in what A Level English discussion actually looks like at its best.

Explaining the Key Stage 5 curriculum, Sarah notes that it aims to develop students’ moral, social and cultural thinking through serious engagement with challenging texts.

Seeing a live production, and then having to defend an argument in front of a microphone, does something a lesson alone can’t quite replicate. Students come away not just knowing the play but having had to decide what they actually think about it.

We invite you to take a listen. Do you agree?

The ‘Perse Ponders’ student podcast episode is now available on Youtube, click the image below to listen or visit https://youtu.be/ruLXwKI_XJU