Much Ado About LAMDA

About the Program

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to attend LAMDA’s (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) 4-week Shakespeare Summer School, supported by the Benenson Award of the Arts. Coming from Duke, where I didn’t have much formal classical training, I was eager to dive deep into Shakespeare’s work, and LAMDA delivered exactly what I was looking for.

The program was intensive—10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday—and covered everything from text analysis and voice work to movement and stage combat (rapier and dagger). Each class taught us new ways of understanding how to tackle classical material and engage with ourselves as actors. I learned not just to speak Shakespeare’s words, but to really understand and embody them. This well-rounded approach gave me practical tools that I know will be essential as I continue working on Shakespeare and other classical plays.

The heart of our work was preparing and performing an abridged version of a Shakespeare play. My group performed Much Ado About Nothing in which I played Conrade. The rehearsal process allowed us to put what we learned in our skills classes into practice and taught me what it takes to bring classical text to life on stage.

Beyond the classroom, we continued to live in the world of Shakespeare. At The Globe, we watched The Merry Wives of Windsor and saw Shakespeare as lively, accessible entertainment in a space similar to where his plays were originally performed. A week later, we visited Stratford-upon-Avon, where we toured Shakespeare’s birthplace and saw the Royal Shakespeare Company’s breathtaking production of The Winter’s Tale. Watching these two productions side by side really showed us the incredible range of Shakespeare’s work—from popular entertainment to high art.

Those four weeks at LAMDA were challenging, with a demanding schedule and complex material, but I learned so much about Shakespeare, acting, and ensemble work. I came away with a deeper understanding of classical theatre, practical techniques I can use going forward, and renewed confidence in tackling this kind of work. These are all tools that will continue to shape my development as a growing artist.