INTRODUCTION

The English-Speaking Union (ESU), established in 1918 and founded by Sir Evelyn Wrench, is one of the United Kingdom’s oldest educational charities. ESU is long governed by a Royal Charter, patronize by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh both served as president. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal now serves as President. The ESU is headquartered at Dartmouth House in London and currently has 54 branches around the world, reaching over one million young people globally. As a global educational network, the ESU is dedicated to fostering intercultural dialogue through English, facilitating communication and collaboration across countries and regions.

The ESU Performing Shakespeare Competition is a prestigious drama competition hosted by the English – Speaking Union (ESU) in England and Wales. It aims to foster students’ oracy skills, confidence and stage presence through performing excerpts from Shakespearean plays. Starting from 2026, ASEEDER has officially formed a strategic partnership with ESU to introduce the ESU Performing Shakespeare Competition for students aged 9–18. Participants will select and perform a monologue or dialogue from a Shakespeare play, followed by a brief introduction to the chosen piece. Through reading, analysing, and performing Shakespeare’s works, students will not only deepen their appreciation of literature, but also develop essential communication and performance skills that extend far beyond the stage.

15,000+

annual participants

750+

schools across 50 competition regions nationwide

100%

teachers report noticeable growth in students’ confidence, communication, and oracy skills

Opportunity

to perform at Shakespeare’s Globe, UK

Exclusive

Shakespeare drama stage for students aged 9-18

ESU Performing Shakespeare Competition Judge Panel

Advanced Pathway

Information

1. Divisions

  • Primary Division: Grades 4–6
  • Junior High Division: Grades 7–9
  • Senior High Division: Grades 10–12

2. Competition Format

  • Monologue
  • Duologue

Students select classic excerpts from Shakespeare’s works and perform them in the Preliminary Round via video submission. Performances can be either a monologue (1 student) or a duologue/two-person performance (2 students). The same student may not submit both a monologue and a duologue.

3. Awards

  • Gold: Top 15%
  • Silver: Top 15.01% – Top 25%
  • Bronze: Top 25.01% – Top 50%

4. Selection of Material

ESU provides sample excerpts, but students are not limited to these; participants may choose material from any of Shakespeare’s 37 plays.

5. Script Requirements

  • Only excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays officially recognized by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust may be performed.
  • Sonnets and narrative poems are not permitted.
  • Excerpts may be appropriately abridged to accommodate the number of performers or time constraints, provided that the narrative and dramatic coherence of the scene is maintained.
  • The original language must not be altered; the vocabulary and sentence structure must remain unchanged.

6. Competition Duration

Each round consists of two components: an Oracy Component and a Performance Component. Time requirements for each category are listed below:

Registration Information

Eligibility: Asian students aged 9–18

Divisions:

  • Primary School Division: Grades 4–6
  • Junior High School Division: Grades 7–9
  • Senior High School Division: Grades 10–12

Registration Deadline: November 5, 2026

Video Submission Deadline: November 15, 2026

* After registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing key information, including reference academic materials, video recording requirements, and judging criteria. Please read the email carefully.

Preliminary Round Results Announcement:

Results are expected to be announced in late November or early December 2026. Award recipients who achieve the required score threshold will be invited to participate in the UK All-Star Annual Showcase. Please refer to the Advancement Invitation Letter for further details.

Registration:

Participants must submit their file to GeniusStar via the designated Drive folder before 18:00 (VN time) on November 15th, 2026. (GeniusStar will send a form to each participant via email, please check your email regularly). The video and word file’s name should be formatted as “Full Name + School + Registration Category”.

REGISTRATION FORM

Registration fee includes the exam administration, grading, past-papers, certificates. Medal shipping fee is not included

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

5th November 2026

Consultation