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Also, what does it mean to bite your thumb at someone According to Romeo and Juliet Basically, thumb biting, which involves biting and then flicking one's thumb from behind the upper teeth, is a Shakespearean version of flipping someone the bird and saying 'nanny. It certainly set the scene for that visit, with both of these events recognising that Shakespeare’s plays were intended to be seen and heard, not merely read. Sampson: No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you sir but I bite my thumb, sir. It was heartening to witness the way the students engaged with the whole experience.Īlthough it stands in it’s own right, the workshop was organised at least partly with the aim of preparing our students for the ‘real thing’ a visit to The Globe organised by Mrs Watt. Reluctant actors who began with heads down and hands firmly hidden in pockets became eloquent orators and, in a finale made up of student’s mini-plays, their performances brimmed with team spirit and burgeoning confidence. Yet, before the workshop ended, stilted movements had been replaced by confident actions, mumbled speech by loud and clear vocals. Unsurprisingly, acting did not come naturally to the students at first. Perhaps many realised for the first time that these great plays are theirs to enjoy and very accessible as entertaining and relevant today as they ever were. Throughout they were fully involved as participants and players, even as their eyes were opened to a much deeper appreciation of Shakespearian theatre. They followed the trajectory of the major scenes and, for example, discussed how using a caesura could produce intimidation or an enjambment could add vigour and speed to dialogue. This particular event was a two hour long workshop in which students focused on an in-depth analysis of interactions between the characters, particularly the effects of slowing down or speeding up the speeches. To demonstrate this we had a leading actor from London’s world renowned Globe theatre, bringing his expertise to Smith’s Wood Academy as part of our initiative to show the living qualities of Shakespeare’s plays to our students. This opening scene of Romeo and Juliet was used as a theatrical gambit, to introduce year 7 and 8 students to the ways an actor imparts the meaning and impact of the lines. I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir”