The Great Shakespeare Debate

The Great Shakespeare Debate is a unique project which combines the debating know-how of the English-Speaking Union with the Shakespearian expertise of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. A-level English literature students work with expert undergraduate and postgraduate debate and Shakespearian mentors drawn from university, who help coach students and judge the debates. Students attending the final in Stratford in February will get to listen to several series of ‘lecture nuggets’ which will give them references to plays and historical information that they may not be familiar with and which are directly relevant to the motions to be debated, as well as attending a play and visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace.

The Great Shakespeare Debate 2008/9 will be bigger than ever. To accommodate the massive demand to take part that schools have expressed in the last two years of the programme, the ESU and SBT will be holding two preliminary one-day debate events in November, in London and Warwick, to select the teams who will go on to the residential two-day finals in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Saturday 1 November: King’s Building, King’s College London, Strand Campus
Friday 7 November: The CAPITAL Centre, University of Warwick

Deadline for applications: Friday 17 October 2008

Each of these one day competitions will involve 24 schools, each debating twice on Shakespearian issues, and receiving coaching from ESU and SBT experts in both debate and Shakespearian issues. Teams of three should be AS or A2 students. Entry costs £30. Six schools from each preliminary round will be chosen to go forward to the final event in Stratford-upon-Avon on 4 and 5 March (which will cost an additional £100 to cover the costs of accommodation).

Before applying please read the guidance notes.

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