English
Senior Cycle
Leaving Certificate English invites students into rich experiences with language so that they become fluent and thoughtful users of it and more aware of its significance in their lives. It develops a range of literacy and oral skills in a variety of areas, personal, social, and cultural. Students develop a wide range of skills and concepts. These will allow them to interpret and enjoy a range of material so that they become independent learners who can operate independently in the world beyond the school.
Leaving Certificate Examination
Leaving Certificate English is assessed at two levels, Ordinary and Higher level.
for the students, by the students |
An area for revision notes that students have shared with each other.
|
English Teachers Meet Poet Paul Durcan
|
Colm Tóbín Workshop
|
Othello Theatre Visit
I sat eager and perplexed, waiting to be inspired and enlightened by the brilliance of Shakespeare through “Mill Productions” rendition of the great classic, “Othello” in Dundrum’s Mill Theatre.... and then the show began. All expectations were dashed. From the word go, disappointment consumed me. What I thought would be an insightful rendition of this Shakespearean classic turned out to be heavy, dull and un-engaging. Perhaps the fatigued atmosphere that engulfed us emphasised the un-captivating performance. What was lacking you may ask? To be brutally honest, the setting and the cast severely lacked an overall sense of personality and originality.
Though credit where credit is due, the sound and lighting team deserve a round of applause. They were the only hope of capturing the attention span of the un-interested audience. Whenever it was one of the protagonists time to shine (excuse the pun) they were lit up which aided in our understanding of what was going on. As a whole, I found the setting quite one-dimensional, unauthentic and very plain. This could be a result of the low budget, but the set just didn’t add up. Also, the way the actors had to bring on their own props and set the stage themselves made the story unrealistic in my opinion.
In regards to the cast, personally Cassio, played by Keith Hanna, was the only stand-out character throughout the elongated two and a half hours. His innocence added to his likeability especially during the drinking scene. He aroused the sympathy of the audience. We couldn’t help but feel sorry for him knowing how Iago was using him to cause chaos.
Iago was the character I was extremely excited to see on the stage, yet he was the one who was most disappointing. Although Robert Fawsitt portrayed the manipulative and corruptive talents of Iago brilliantly, I still felt like he lacked charisma. I must admit though, he brought a unique individuality to the role. However, the argument could still be made that he was simply overplaying it a little.
In my opinion, Othello, played by Steven Hartland, was the most authentic of characters in this production. From the opening scene, his nobility and dignified manner oozed from his performance. What he lacked was the gradual deterioration Shakespeare presented in the original text. At the first whisper of Desdemona’s infidelity from “honest” Iago’s lips, Othello transforms into a savage, jealous monster almost instantaneously.
If you are looking for a mediocre performance of a world-renowned classic, I highly recommend this production of “Othello”. Perhaps with a more generous budget and more character development, this might have been a more spectacular performance of this great Shakespearean story.
Though credit where credit is due, the sound and lighting team deserve a round of applause. They were the only hope of capturing the attention span of the un-interested audience. Whenever it was one of the protagonists time to shine (excuse the pun) they were lit up which aided in our understanding of what was going on. As a whole, I found the setting quite one-dimensional, unauthentic and very plain. This could be a result of the low budget, but the set just didn’t add up. Also, the way the actors had to bring on their own props and set the stage themselves made the story unrealistic in my opinion.
In regards to the cast, personally Cassio, played by Keith Hanna, was the only stand-out character throughout the elongated two and a half hours. His innocence added to his likeability especially during the drinking scene. He aroused the sympathy of the audience. We couldn’t help but feel sorry for him knowing how Iago was using him to cause chaos.
Iago was the character I was extremely excited to see on the stage, yet he was the one who was most disappointing. Although Robert Fawsitt portrayed the manipulative and corruptive talents of Iago brilliantly, I still felt like he lacked charisma. I must admit though, he brought a unique individuality to the role. However, the argument could still be made that he was simply overplaying it a little.
In my opinion, Othello, played by Steven Hartland, was the most authentic of characters in this production. From the opening scene, his nobility and dignified manner oozed from his performance. What he lacked was the gradual deterioration Shakespeare presented in the original text. At the first whisper of Desdemona’s infidelity from “honest” Iago’s lips, Othello transforms into a savage, jealous monster almost instantaneously.
If you are looking for a mediocre performance of a world-renowned classic, I highly recommend this production of “Othello”. Perhaps with a more generous budget and more character development, this might have been a more spectacular performance of this great Shakespearean story.
