Dilworth students bring a new perspective to Shakespeare
Our students recently brought a new perspective to Shakespeare, reimagining King Lear through a Pasifika lens in a magnificent performance that earned them a place in the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) National Shakespeare Festival (Sheilah Winn) finals.
Dilworth School’s Year 13 drama students were awarded Best Scene at the Auckland Festival, selected from 51 entries. Their piece reinterpreted King Lear as the story of a Pasifika king and his three sons, presented as a multidisciplinary work integrating Pasifika song and movement. The performance explored themes of family and global conflict plus a call for peace, making it both very contemporary and culturally rich.
They are now incredibly excited to perform at the national finals at the St James Theatre in Wellington on 30 and 31 May, and with a pathway to possible performance opportunities at The Globe in London in 2027.
Patrice Wilson, Dilworth’s drama teacher, says the performance gave students the opportunity to engage with Shakespeare in a way that felt relevant to them.
“What has been most rewarding is seeing the students engage so deeply with a text that can sometimes feel distant at first. By approaching King Lear through a Pasifika lens, they found a way into the story that felt rich, meaningful and refreshing.”
The performance reflects a broader approach taken by students at Dilworth to engage with Shakespeare in ways that feel contemporary, culturally grounded and relevant to their own lives.
Dilworth’s Year 12 drama students also presented a contemporary interpretation of Henry V at the same festival, set around a school rugby team in an international final. Unfortunately, the piece ran over time, so it couldn’t be included, but it was also powerfully done.
Micah Uhila, student performer, says the retelling allowed the cast to connect with the text in a more personal way.
“Working on this piece gave us the chance to take a well-known Shakespeare story and tell it in a way that felt closer to who we are. Bringing Pasifika elements into the performance helped us connect more deeply with the story and what it says about family, power and conflict.”
Patrice Wilson says Dilworth’s recent performances show how traditional texts can be reinterpreted to be more meaningful to today’s students, while retaining the emotional weight and complexity of the original works.
Tickets and further event information are available at sgcnz.org.nz.
“What has been most rewarding is seeing the students engage so deeply with a text that can sometimes feel distant at first. By approaching King Lear through a Pasifika lens, they found a way into the story that felt rich, meaningful and refreshing.”
Ms. Patrice Wilson, Dilworth Drama Teacher