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Coming To Regional Victoria In 2025-2026 – Ozact’s The Tempest

Ozact has been bringing the Bard’s works to life in Victoria’s most stunning outdoor venues for over three decades. This production promises to transport audiences to an enchanted world of sorcerers, spells and shipwrecks.

Since its founding by Professor Bruce Widdop in 1995, Ozact Theatre Company (Ozact) has built a legacy of loyal audiences by merging the natural environment with timeless theatre. This year’s production will be no exception.

Banished to a remote island, a powerful sorcerer and Milanesian nobleman, his daughter and a few magical spirits exact revenge on those who have wronged him. But the strings of certain hearts are plucked by romance causing chaos along the way. The Tempest has been heralded as Ozact’s flagship show having performed this play to thousands of people up and down the Shipwreck Coast in Victoria and South Australia.

This year, The Tempest will be staged in numerous locations across Greater Melbourne and Victoria where the lush beauty of nature will be showcased in Shakespeare’s most beloved tragicomedy. We will perform at Kirks Reservoir in Ballarat, Williamstown Botanic Gardens, Cloudehill Gardens in Olinda, Leura Park Estate on the Bellarine Peninsula, Mont De Lancey in Yarra Valley, Coolart Homestead in Somers, Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Heatherlie Quarry in Grampians.

Leura Park Estate is a new location, added due to popular demand. Also, due to the complete sell out of shows at Cloudehill Gardens in Olinda last year, we will perform on back-to-back weekends in January 2026.

Andy Delves, who has been with Ozact for 25 years, helms the production as director and in the role of Prospero. ‘We have performed The Tempest countless times and we are known for performing it at stunning places like Loch Ard Gorge. With the indefinite closure of Loch Ard Gorge, we had to rethink how we approach this work. To that end, I saw this as an opportunity for us to change how we express this story. I wanted to inject some new energy and new voices into the production. I hope audiences enjoy this new perspective that would not be possible without the incredible cast and crew we are lucky to work with.’

Sorcha Breen who has been with Ozact for nearly a decade plays Gonzala, a fresh take on the beloved character Gonzalo. ‘It’s not just the time on stage that I look forward to every year, it’s the thousands of repeat and new faces that I get to greet, it’s the stunning locations that I get to travel to, it’s the team of creatives that I get to work with but most of all it’s the living history that I get to share with our fans. Ozact is known for its lineage of loyal fans who continue to choose to buy tickets to see us in a cost-of-living crisis.’

Prepare for a day enchantment, as Ozact Theatre Company brings The Tempest to its 2025/2026 season.

Kirks Reservoir, BALLARAT – December 26 & 27
WILLIAMSTOWN Botanic Gardens – January 3 & 4
Cloudehill Gardens, OLINDA – January 10, 11, 17 & 18
Leura Park Estate, BELLARINE PENINSULA – February 13 & 14
Mont De Lancey, YARRA VALLEY – March 7 & 8
Coolart Homestead, SOMERS – March 14 & 15
HEPBURN Mineral Springs Reserve – March 21 & 22
CAMPERDOWN Botanic Gardens – March 28 & 29
Heatherlie Quarry, GRAMPIANS – April 4 & 5

Bookings @ www.ozact.com

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OZ Acts As You Like it

OZActs’ rendition of William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at the Williamstown Botanic Gardens provided an accessible and high-quality theatrical experience.

Despite rain earlier in the day, the setting of the Botanic Gardens provided a perfect backdrop. The atmosphere outside the performance space was immediately immersive, with people dressed in period costumes milling about, playing music, and interacting with the audience before the show commenced.

One of the highlights of the production was Rosalind’s portrayal, whose expressive movements and charismatic presence captivated the audience from the start. Touchstone (the court Jester) also stood out, entertaining the crowd before the show and during intervals with his witty antics. He even indulged in playful banter with the audience, encouraging them to throw fruit at him.

Despite the inherent complexity of Shakespearean language, the play was easy to follow, pleasing the wide audience, which included many family members of the cast (which Touchstone pointed out to the audience) and children. Song interludes helped set the scenes, and classic lines such as “all the world’s a stage” were delivered poignantly, resonating with the audience.

The chemistry between cousins Rosalind and Celia was another standout aspect of the performance, particularly in scenes involving scheming and plotting. The actors delivered every line with confidence, and the quick costume changes between characters were executed impressively, adding to the dynamic nature of the production (noting that the whole production was outdoors – so there was no traditional dressing room!).

The side and background characters added layers of comedy to the play, contributing to its light-hearted and comic tone. Despite this, the production skillfully balanced the humour with the darker subject matter, reminding the audience of the characters’ banishment by the Duke.

The outdoor setting was utilized to its fullest potential, with the production cleverly using the space. For example, during a scene where a character hangs love poems about Rosalind, blank scrolls are hung on tree branches, enhancing the immersive experience.

The costumes were exemplary period pieces, with each outfit contributing to the characters’ disguises and identities. From the intricate details to the versatility of accents and mannerisms, the costumes added depth to the characters and the overall narrative.

The production maintained a high energy level throughout despite the challenges of staging an outdoor play in unpredictable weather conditions. Moments such as Rosalind fainting and needing to be carried (“Counterfeit, I assure you”) provided memorable highlights, showcasing the actors’ commitment to their roles.

Overall, OZActs’ “As You Like It” production at Williamstown Botanic Gardens was a delightful rendition of Shakespeare’s timeless classic.

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