Bell Shakespeare is an Australian theatre company specialising in the works of William Shakespeare, his contemporaries and other classics. It is based in Sydney.
| Founded | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Founder | John Bell |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
Key people | Peter Evans (Artistic Director), Gill Perkins (Executive Director) |
| Products | Theatre Productions, Learning Programs |
| Website | bellshakespeare.com.au |
They are Australia's only national theatre company.[1][2] Each year they perform a Mainstage season consisting of three theatre productions, including an annual National Tour, and a Learning program to support students, teachers and communities nationally. Bell Shakespeare's Artistic Director is Peter Evans[3] and the Executive Director is Gill Perkins.[4]
One of the Company's artistic goals is "to use Shakespeare as Australians",[5] and Bell Shakespeare is well known for using contemporary styles to make Shakespeare accessible for modern audiences.[6]
Company history
Founded by John Bell in 1990, Bell Shakespeare began as a theatre company dedicated to producing the plays of William Shakespeare in a way that was relevant and exciting to Australian audiences.[7] With the support of an enlightened philanthropist, the late Tony Gilbert AM, and a small number of imaginative corporate and private supporters, Bell Shakespeare was able to mount productions and attract audiences.[8]
Bell Shakespeare is listed as a Major Festival in the book Shakespeare Festivals Around the World.[9]
In 2016, the Australian Federal Government announced a $1 million contribution to the Bell Shakespeare capital campaign, which will help the Company secure a permanent home at Sydney's Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay.[10]
Artistic leadership
In 2012, John Bell announced the promotion of associate artistic director Peter Evans to the position of co-artistic director.[11] In 2015, John Bell retired from the Company, and Peter Evans was made sole Artistic Director.[12]
Learning
Bell Shakespeare has a range of learning opportunities for students and teachers in every Australian state and territory throughout the year. This includes in-school performances by The Players.[13] Inspired by the troupe of actors who appear in Hamlet, Bell Shakespeare's Players have been performing abridged adaptions of Shakespeare's works in schools since 1991.[8] A number of tailored workshops, masterclasses and residencies are also available to make Shakespeare accessible to students in an immersive and fun way. Each year, the company creates a theatre production specifically for students. Bell Shakespeare also provides professional learning for teachers.
A range of scholarships to support students and teachers are also provided. This includes the John Bell Scholarship, which provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students living in regional or remote areas who are interested in a career as a performer, and the regional teacher mentorship which is a fully funded year-long mentorship for teachers in regional, rural and remote Australian schools.[14]
Productions
Recent productions
- Hamlet (2015), directed by Damien Ryan and starring Josh McConville.
- Romeo and Juliet (2016), directed by Peter Evans and starring Kelly Paterniti and Alex Williams.
- Othello (2016), directed by Peter Evans and starring Ray Chong Nee and Yalin Ozucelik.
- The Literati (2016), directed by Lee Lewis and starring Kate Mulvany and Miranda Tapsell.
- Richard 3 (2017), directed by Peter Evans and starring Kate Mulvany.
- The Merchant Of Venice (2017), directed by Anne-Louise Sarks and starring Mitchell Butel and Jessica Tovey.
- Antony and Cleopatra (2018), directed by Peter Evans and starring Catherine McClements.
- Julius Caesar (2018), directed by James Evans and starring Kenneth Ransom.
- The Misanthrope (2018), directed by Lee Lewis and starring Danielle Cormack.
- The Miser (2019), directed by Peter Evans and starring John Bell.
- Much Ado About Nothing (2019), directed by James Evans and starring Zindzi Okenyo.
- Titus Andronicus (2019), directed by Adena Jacobs and starring Jane Montgomery Griffiths and Melita Jurisic.
- Hamlet (2020), directed by Peter Evans and starring Harriet Gordon-Anderson and Lisa McCune.
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (2021), directed by Peter Evans and starring Jane Montgomery Griffiths and Gabrielle Scawthorn.
- The Lovers (2022), Bell Shakespeare's first musical, based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Shaun Rennie.
Production history by play
List of Bell Shakespeare productions (not including Learning productions or special events):[15]
Shakespeare
- Antony and Cleopatra (2001, 2018)
- As You Like It (2003, 2018, 2015)
- The Comedy of Errors (2002, 2013)
- Coriolanus (1996)
- Hamlet (1991, 2003, 2008, 2015, 2020)
- Henry IV [Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2] (1988, 2013)
- Henry V (1999, 2014)
- Julius Caesar (2001, 2011, 2018)
- King Lear (1998, 2010)
- Macbeth (1994, 1997, 2007, 2012, 2023)
- Measure for Measure (2005)
- The Merchant of Venice (1991, 1999, 2006, 2017)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (2000, 2004, 2014, 2021)
- Much Ado About Nothing (1996, 2000, 2011, 2018)
- Othello (2007, 2016)
- Pericles (1995, 2009)
- Richard III (1992, 2002, 2017)
- Romeo and Juliet (1993, 1999, 2006, 2016, 2023)
- The Taming of the Shrew (1994, 2002, 2009)
- The Tempest (1997, 2001, 2006, 2015)
- Titus Andronicus (2019)
- Troilus and Cressida (2000)
- Twelfth Night (1995, 2004, 2010, 2023)
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona (2005)
- Wars of the Roses [Henry VI, Part 1; Henry VI, Part 2; Henry VI, Part 3] (2005)
- The Winter's Tale (1997, 2014)
- Venus and Adonis (2008)
Other
- Long Day's Journey into Night (1999)
- Dance of Death (2000)
- Shakespeare's R & J (2001)
- The Servant of Two Masters (2003)
- Moby Dick (2005)
- The Government Inspector (2007)
- Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome: A Shakespeare Commentary (2008)
- The Alchemist (2009)
- Faustus (2011)
- The Duchess of Malfi (2012)
- The School for Wives (2012)
- Phèdre (2013)
- Tartuffe (2014)
- The Literati (2016)
- The Misanthrope (2018)
- The Miser (2019)
- One Man in His Time (2021)
- In a Nutshell (2022)
- The Lovers (2022), based on A Midsummer Night's Dream