Much ado about relevance | Eliza-Grace Suswain | TEDxSt Swithuns School

Shakespeare’s words remain instantly recognisable more than four centuries after his death so why do many young people struggle to connect with his plays? This young speaker argues that Shakespeare’s works have lost none of their relevance but that the way we present them must evolve. Drawing on personal experience, modern theatre productions, and examples from contemporary society, Eliza-Grace shows how reimagining Shakespeare’s plays in familiar settings can help new audiences engage with his timeless themes of love, conflict, leadership and unity. She makes the case for greater access to live theatre and more opportunities for young people to experience Shakespeare as it was intended: performed, not simply read.  ‘Much Ado About Relevance’.
Eliza-Grace has a love for acting, Classical history, and literature, recently starring in a school performance of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’. She has written her own murder mystery play and is a convincing advocate for the role of drama in schools. Alongside her responsibilities as a drama scholar, Eliza-Grace enjoys playing for the school’s tennis team. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx