On Wednesday 5 November, as part of Humanities Week, the Classics, History, Politics, English and Drama departments joined forces to host a lively afternoon with two inspiring guests: freelance director and dramaturg Guy Jones, and Lord Banner, King’s Counsel at Keating Chambers and a working peer in the House of Lords.
Guy Jones, New Work Associate at Shakespeare’s Globe, studied English and Drama at Manchester before building a diverse career across the National Theatre, the RSC, the Orange Tree and Headlong. Lord Banner read Classics at Oxford University after choosing Latin, Greek and Ancient History at A Level, later building a distinguished legal career.
More than 50 students from Classics, English and Drama, along with aspiring lawyers, gathered to hear the speakers reflect on the lasting power of humanities in shaping their lives and careers.
Guy Jones highlighted the breadth of skills needed in freelance creative work and encouraged students to study the subjects they genuinely love. He spoke about balancing artistic integrity with economic reality, drawing on his experience at the Globe, and shared how English literature and drama have helped him understand the world through many perspectives. It was clear to all who attended that his career success is a direct result of his passion for the subjects.
Lord Banner explored how Classics continues to support his legal work, from analysing language and persuasive advocacy to reading between the lines in complex cases. He illustrated how a grounding in ancient history deepens understanding of today’s geopolitical landscape, how classical languages make modern language learning more accessible (in his case Russian), increase appreciation for architecture and travel to places such as Greece and Italy. His belief in the intrinsic value of the humanities was clear when he said, “it’s what makes us human”.
Students asked a wide range of thoughtful questions, with many staying behind for further discussion.
Fourth Year Dami said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the event. I am pleased I got to meet such outstanding people who lead different but remarkable lives. They gave me an insight as to how humanities can relate to everyday life. I am grateful for the experience.”
Lower Sixth student Eloise said, “Lord Banner and Guy Jones explained the often undervalued importance of humanities for their careers and it was amazing to have the opportunity to explore all the benefits of the humanities subjects.”
Head of Classics Miss Van Dal added, “I was genuinely inspired afresh whilst listening to our two visiting speakers, who brought to life the value of the humanities in such interesting and contrasting ways. Our aim with Humanities Week is to show students how many doors the humanities subjects can open up for them, and I hope the event encourages students to think about studying these subjects at A Level and beyond.”
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