DRAMA students will perform one of the greatest Shakespeare classics on the professional stage -- in combat gear.

Over 30 year 10-11 pupils from Golborne High will take a bow at The Theatre Royal, St Helens, on Wednesday (October 5) as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival.

They be be acting their own 30-minute abridged version of the Scottish play "Macbeth".

The play was cast in June and the actors spent the summer holidays learning their roles.

The festival is the largest and fastest-growing theatre celebration in the UK and allows 11-15 year olds to perform half-hour productions of Shakespeare classics in their local professional theatre.

Taking care of the production side of each performance, the Festival also provides a teacher-training day with the Royal Shakespeare Company and an in-school workshop with the Dramarama 'theatre in education" company.

Every secondary school in the country will be given the opportunity to take part in this growing charity as it tours the country on a cycle incorporating three regions each year.

Rehearsals began in earnest in September and teachers/producers Maggi Hollowell and Joan Gash have some interesting ideas for the production.

They intend to kit the whole cast out with Army combat pants and have borrowed camouflage netting from the local TA. Some of the more flamboyant characters will have three metres of rich-looking material draped around their shoulders.

They have also been on the look out for two Scottish Broadswords but Maggi says: "After many frustrating phone calls it became clear we couldn't get hold of any swords heavy enough to capture the atmosphere and tension we need for the final death scene.

"The two lads David Gash (Macbeth) and Ian Hide (Macduff) have perfected a realistic fight with a slow motion part. Thankfully we have at last found someone who can make us two realistic swords ... not sharp ones of course !"