FOUR of Shakespeare's most famous plays will be condensed into a two-hour performance at Chelmsford's Civic Theatre on Monday.
About 70 students, some as young as 12, from four schools, have been rehearsing for months for the Essex leg of the Shakespeare Schools Festival.
They will perform the Bard's great tragedies King Lear and Hamlet, his popular comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, and perennial favourite The Merchant of Venice back-to-back.
Each play has been condensed into a half-hour script, specially written by organisers of the annual festival, now in its 14th year, which aims to raise the profile of Shakespeare in schools.
This has certainly worked at Chelmer Valley High School, which is taking part in the festival for the first time.
Drama teacher Gemma Peacock has cast 20 pupils aged from 12 to 18 in King Lear, and chosen to set the drama in The Apprentice board room.
She said: "They have all been buzzing with this and are already asking to do it again next year.
"We decided to take part as we wanted to do something different. We don't really do much Shakespeare below A-level, but this has made us more open to the idea that we can teach it to the lower school, as this group has really grasped the themes behind the play
"We decided to make King Lear an Alan Sugar-type figure, and his three daughters women in the boardroom, to show how the play is about a feuding family and how someone who has power can lose it very quickly.
"This context has helped the students understand the play and also given it a contemporary twist."
The lead role has gone to pupil Amy Coster, 16, who hopes to become an actress.
She said: "I knew the gist of King Lear, but when I got the role I went away and read up on it and I found it really interesting. It made me want to know more about Shakespeare."
Fellow Chelmer Valley student Jade Flack, 15, said: "I have loved being part of this production. It's made me realise that Shakespeare can be performed in lots of different ways."
Head of drama at Rickstones Academy, Edward Hake, took part in the festival many times at his former school.
He introduced it to the Witham students last year, who are using it as the latest project for the in-house Twist Youth Theatre he has set up.
Upper Sixthformers Jamie Gordon and Jack Coles run the theatre, directing the students under Mr Hake's watchful eye. They have chosen to perform Hamlet, but have given it a twist.
Mr Hake told the Chronicle: "We have made it more accessible and vibrant for students by using very stylised techniques of acting, while still keeping the original language and the fundamental ethos of the play."
Jack said he is enjoying directing the production, which features 12 students aged from 13 to 17, most of whom took part in the production last year.
He said: "We have laughs in rehearsal and when we need to get things done we do crackdown and create interesting, challenging theatre."
Jamie added: "I have a lot to offer the younger students, especially in terms of improving their acting skills to a professional level, which they are already close to. Hamlet is a great play to interpret in different ways."
Also taking part in this year's festival, performing The Merchant of Venice, is long-running regular The Boswells School.
Head of drama Gemma Willcox said: "We have taken part about seven times. It is a great experience for our students to work in the wider community and perform at a professional theatre.
"We explore Shakespeare plays through a discreet scheme of work in Years Seven to Nine and so extend this work with the festival for Year 10 pupils, who do not study Shakespeare as part of their curriculum.
"It also gets our students known within the community as a school with performing arts status. We have 17 taking part this year and have had two Year 11 students helping with the rehearsals."
The fourth school taking part is Leventhorpe, in Sawbridgeworth, which is performing A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Tickets for the performance at 7pm cost £8 and £6 for concessions and are available on 01245 606505.
