These photos are a couple of years or more old, but...
I want to affirm that both younger and older students can handle reading and performing Shakespeare. They just need to be given the permission of plenty of time to read it (in a class setting is more fun!) and narrate it over a term or two! Here are just a few examples from rehearsals for various Shakespeare plays in our CM co-op! I wanted to put these in one post, for easier reference.
Our Narrators ~ "All the world's a stage!"
Orlando (my son) and Oliver
Celia and Rosalind aka Ganymede
Orlando and Oliver in "As You Like It"
Orlando (my son :-) and his love letter from Rosalind
~ HAMLET ~
Hamlet and Laertes
Very intense moment between Hamlet and Laertes (and excellent acting by our cast)
The younger students are rehearsing for "The Tempest"
and they are doing a knock-out job
Do not be afraid to give Shakespeare a try with a few friends! Our group (the youngers) even performed for us in the backyard of one of our family's homes for an end-of-year picnic.
Take time to try some Shakespeare!
Javamom