Taking on any play by William Shakespeare is no easy feat, especially in theatre, where actors are required to memorise heavy and complicated dialogue. Amanda Crewes, through the talented cast at The Actors Hub, has done a tremendous job bringing Othello to life.
Although the play is set in what appears to be the present time, this is evident from the clothing worn by the cast, Amanda has remained true to Shakespear’s words.
For those who are not big fans or accustomed to Shakespearean talk, you should not be put off. Extra concentration may be needed (as in any Shakespeare story) to follow every interaction between the characters. However, you should still be able to understand the essence of the play and the storyline.
The protagonist and title character Othello, who, despite his ethnicity, has risen through the ranks of a white society to become a General in Venice and marry a white woman, the noble Desdemona. Roderigo, a wealthy man, longs for Desdemona. He is heartbroken upon learning the news of Desdemona’s marriage to Othello.
Trouble ensues when Lago, who serves under Othello, is overlooked for the position of lieutenant in favour of a less experienced soldier, Michael Cassio. Filled with bitterness and resentment, Lago devises a web of lies in his plot to bring down Othello as revenge for this perceived injustice. On his path to destroy Othello, he manipulates those around him, cunningly convincing Othello of Desmonda being unfaithful, which leads to devasting consequences.
Amanda cleverly uses a giant chess board as the central focus of the stage, with the characters performing in and around the board. Every move Lago makes on the chess board is matched with a move he makes in destroying Othello.
The play is long, which makes me applaud the amazing cast, which never misses a beat. Leo Rimmer, Bernard Bolum, Kayla Merritt, Jayk Thomas, and Jet Fairlie are exceptional in portraying their characters.
Even if you are not a Shakespeare fan, the play is worth viewing to see these rising young actors.
Romeo and Juliet, famously, only had eyes for each other. But what about the rest of poor old Verona? Enter ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’. In a new play created by Scott Jackson and Sorcha Breen, the townspeople of Verona are plucked straight from the margins of Romeo and Juliet’s romance and into the spotlight, revealing the hidden tensions, messy relationships and unlikely friendships across feuding houses.
As the Bard himself would say, ‘All the world’s a stage,’ and for this show, it couldn’t be truer. Set outdoors among flowering gardens, brisk breezes and the striking silhouette of a Victorian bluestone church, ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’ offers a little slice of Renaissance Italy in South Melbourne. Nature plays a leading role in fair Verona’s story: golden sunsets bathe star-crossed dallies, giving way to eerie twilight skies and the darkness of nightfall as misfortune and grief take hold. In a town doomed by the narrative, the passing of day only made it all the more inevitable.
Admittedly, my ‘Romeo & Juliet’ knowledge was a bit dusty going in. High school English and a few blockbuster flicks left me with only the broad strokes (boy meets girl, mum and dad disapprove, preventable tragedy ensues). For proper buffs, following along might have been a real ‘Shakespeare in the Park’, but I found myself losing the thread here and there. Perhaps a narration of some sort could have helped us novices stay on track with the plot – though to be fair, it’s one of the most famous plays ever written, so that might be on me.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, even when I couldn’t quite place their original roles. And there were plenty of them too! The small cast of nine took on some thirty parts, juggling a number of personalities at the drop of a velveteen doublet.
Underexplored characters flourished in ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’: Rosaline (Seon Williams) reclaimed her role with headstrong resolve, while Peter, the bumbling butler (Scott Middleton), provided plenty of comic relief. The Nurse (Helen Hopkins) was delightfully extra, and Paris (Oscar Morphew) hilariously daft.
Meanwhile, familiar figures like Lady Capulet (Renee Palmer), Lord Capulet (Myles Tankle), Tybalt (Jett Chudleigh), Mercutio (William Hassal), and his companion Balthazar (Wolfgang Reed) brought depth and loads of charisma to their roles, commanding attention with every appearance. Together, their portrayals offered a compelling glimpse behind the curtain of the tragic teen tryst – and the destruction left in its wake.
‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’ brings together a versatile cast of actors, comedians, musicians – even swordfighters (seriously, I’m expecting swordfights in every play now). Their talent packed into one cohesive, dynamic ensemble made for a fantastic showcase of Melbourne’s independent theatre scene. Bravo!
Pack thy best picnic blanket and join the good people of Verona for an evening of wit, music and top-notch live theatre. ‘Shakespeare-In-Between: Romeo & Juliet’ is playing at St Kilda South Port Uniting Church until November 23 – to miss it would be a tragedy.
Feared and Revered – The Women of Shakespeare Rating
★★★★★
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‘Feared and Revered—the Women of Shakespeare’ at the Genesian Theatre amalgamates several of Shakespeare’s well-known characters, scenes, and plays with modern backdrops and ideologies. The play, written and directed by Tui Clark, transports its audience to a place where Shakespeare’s women are allowed to have complexities and contradictions all at once, other than the usual good/bad, married/unmarried dichotomies.
The Genesian Theatre itself added to the essence of performance. The beautiful stained-glass windows and intimate size made it easy to become part of the story, especially when actors would situate themselves in or around the audience for entrances or exits.
It was interesting to see how different soliloquies and passages were paired together to create a tapestry of womanhood and femininity of the past and present. I also loved the simplicity of the props and costuming. A tie or a feather boa was enough to symbolise a different character and the location in which these women found themselves together. I especially loved the technical elements that added to the themes of each scene. Layering voices that led into a beautiful delivery of ‘All the World’s a Stage’, from As You Like It to begin the show was a beautiful tie-in with the ‘stages’ of womanhood that followed.
The cast was an incredible collective of women who brought to life 30 women across Shakespeare’s collection of works. It was difficult at times to understand what was being said, but it made it feel more authentic, as a lot of Shakespearean language was completely made up. All audience members were in the same boat when it came to simply listening to the dialogue rather than taking in the context in which it was being said.
Some of the more famous monologues or characters were much easier to spot, but the lesser-known characters or plays had to be viewed in context. It’s important to remember that you’re not supposed to grasp the meaning behind each word spoken immediately, but the way the words are spoken and in which scenes they’re performed in.
Among the talented cast, Liz Grindley stood out with an exceptional stage presence and managed to capture the essence of Cleopatra (among others) in her final moments. The ease with which she moved around the stage and carried each woman in her words and body made it difficult to look away from her, even when she was not speaking.
Charlotte Bromley gave her all to each character, whether the provocative Witch from Macbeth or the hysterical and grieving Ophelia. Bromley captured the audience’s attention and gave them a performance that transcended language.
The closing monologue from Taming of the Shrew, performed by Ali Bendall, was delivered with such reverence and emotion that I had to immediately go and search it up just to read it again. Despite obviously being written by Shakespeare several hundred years ago, Bendall made it her own. In those few moments, I was completely in awe of what was coming out, and you could have told me that she wrote it herself or went off script to say what she was thinking, and I would have believed you.
I recommend grabbing a ticket for yourself and some friends and family to see this beautiful performance before the curtain closes. Even if you don’t know a lot of Shakespeare, these women bring their own elements to the timeless dialogue that draws you in and captivates.
Don’t miss out on these remaining performances – Wednesday, 23rd, and Thursday, 24th October at 7:30pm and Saturday, October 26th, at 2:30pm.
The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild have placed their production of King Lear in a post-apocalyptic dystopian setting which is set amidst the madness of a world in ruins more than reminiscent of the Mad Max series. I would not have been surprised if Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) walked in to play the old deranged king, there are a number of parallels.
Director Brant Eustice says, “There is enormous joy to be found in Shakespeare’s universal themes and a brilliance in his writing which not only allows, but also encourages theatregoers to continue exploring the depth, complexity and beauty of his stories in new styles. Due to a global calamity, civilisation as we view it has collapsed and has returned to the ways of a distant past. We find ourselves in a world which is slowly trying to rebuild itself.”
This production succeeds in most ways, but does not always achieve Eustice’s aims.
For those who don’t know the play, King Lear is based on the legend of Leir of Britain. Lear decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, but he is deceived by the flattery of Goneril and Regan, who turn against him, and he banishes the loyal Cordelia, who loves him. Lear becomes mad and wanders in a storm, while Cordelia returns with an army to restore him. The play ends with the deaths of Lear and his daughters.
According to the esteemed critic Frank Kermode, “the play…offers neither its good characters nor its audience any relief from its cruelty”. I disagree with Kermode in that while cruelty is more than evident, there is an abundance of humour in the play which Eustice highlights.
Every centimetre of the Little Theatre is used to advantage and thanks to Eustice’s direction, the scene changes are quick and efficient, and the characters are well developed.
His direction is complemented by Kate Prescott’s set design, Lisa Lanzi’s costume design, Richard Parkhill’s moody lighting, Sean Smith’s sound design. Michael Green’s original haunting music and Anne-Louise Smith’s hair teasing and primping.
This production features 16 performers, some playing multiple roles.
Michael Eustice joins an illustrious list of actors to play Lear; Orson Welles, Christopher Plummer, Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, and Glenda Jackson to name a few. Eustice’s Lear is bombastic, demanding and convincing in his decent into madness. His scene with the dead body of Cordelia is memorable.
Sharon Malujlo’s Kent holds the narrative together, especially when in disguise and provides comic relief to the more sombre sections of the play.
Robert Baulderstone’s Edgar is compelling to watch. His physicality is wonderful and his voice crystal clear. His ‘naked’ scene is a highlight of the play!
Sean Flierl’s Edmund is appropriately villain-like as he plots against his father and brother. His swordplay with Edgar is frighteningly realistic.
Geoff Revell as Fool steals every scene with carefully delivered wisdom and the occasional breaking of the fourth wall to include the audience. I loved his scene with Lear on the mezzanine level of the theatre.
As the three daughters, Georgia Stockham as Goneril, Rebecca Kemp as Regan and Rhoda Sylvester as Cordelia all deliver solid work, but there were some problems with diction and projection at times that resulted in some of the dialogue being lost when their backs were turned or voices raised.
Tracey Walker is a commanding Albany with one of the clearest Shakespearean deliveries I have heard.
Director Brant Eustice replaced Mick Young (who had to withdraw due to illness) as Gloucester gives us a moving performance, particularly in act 2 when his eyes are gouged out.
Imogen Deller-Evans, Mike Leach, Harry Passehl, Tony Sampson, Tom Tassone, and Lizzie Zeuner complete the cast playing multiple roles.
Being a long play (even with cuts), it might have been advisable to start this production at 7pm.
King Lear is one of the Bard’s greatest works and the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild’s production is well thought out and delivers some fine performances. I think the Bard would approve of the new setting!
Ticket Information $25 Full Price $20 Concession / Tertiary Student
Performance Dates Friday 16 August at 7:30pm Saturday 17 August at 7:30pm Sunday 18 August at 4pm Wednesday 21 August at 7:30pm Thursday 22 August at 7:30pm Friday 23 August at 7:30pm Saturday 24 August at 7:30pm Sunday 25 August at 4pm
Venue Little Theatre The Cloisters, Victoria Drive, University of Adelaide Please allow extra time for parking, especially when there is an event at Adelaide Oval.
Duration 2.5 hours plus interval
This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.
