Charlie Piper from Oakham School has been named the winner of the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Performing Shakespeare Competition 2024.

The grand final took place at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare's Globe, London, on Friday, 14 June, the culmination of a contest that has involved nearly 2,000 students from schools across England and Wales.  

The audience was treated to a series of outstanding performances, with students delivering monologues and duologues from Shakespeare's plays, showcasing their dramatic talents and oracy skills. The competition not only celebrates the timeless works of Shakespeare but also fosters confidence, creativity and communication skills among the young participants. 

Charlie's powerful rendition of Hamlet's soliloquy from Act I, scene ii of Shakespeare's Hamlet won him the coveted award. The runner-up was Malachi Ayantuga from City of London Academy Shoreditch Park, for his performance of Lance from The Two Gentlemen of Verona Act II, Scene iii. Leila Colli and Laurie Jones, students from Chesterton Community College, won the Don Miller Award, voted for by the audience, for their performance as Orsino and Viola in Act II, Scene iv of Twelfth Night. 

The panel of esteemed judges included Linda Macrow, Chief Examiner at LAMDA; author and Shakespeare specialist Dr. Victoria Sparey; and former actor and CEO of The Experiential Learning Group, Joe Fredericks.  

Dr. Sparey said of the competitors that "they should all be so very proud of what they have achieved today". She complimented the performers on being comfortable, speaking clearly, and getting an emotional response from the judges, especially on such an "intimidating stage space". She said they "found different ways in to 400 year old material". "I've seen many Hamlets", she said, but she particularly enjoyed Charlie's "fresh" and "emotional" take on the character. Charlie spoke about his interest in the character's grief and struggles with mental health; "this piece is really important because of the issue of men's mental health", Charlie explained, citing Hamlet's "complex thoughts", feelings of "wanting to disappear after the death of his father" and the way Shakespeare addresses this was "way ahead of his time, as always".  

The ESU Performing Shakespeare Competition encourages students aged 11 to 14 to explore and appreciate Shakespeare's language, fostering a love for literature and performance. Each participant introduces their piece with a short speech, thereby enhancing their public speaking and critical thinking skills and enriching their overall performance.