Written by David Henry Wilson Directed by Jennifer Dick ★★★★ The unknown fate of characters has plagued and enriched the texts of countless authors and storytellers for centuries. The immense power in the unexplored catapults sometimes small, seemingly inconsequential players into a new world ripe for the picking: where does Long John Silver wash ashore? … Continue reading Lear’s Fool – Bard in the Botanics
Directed by Jennifer Dick Written by William Shakespeare ★★★★ A touch of rowdiness in the gardens isn’t anything entirely new. Still, as audiences begin to spot the balaclava-wearing mob with their Pro-Caesar flags, well, things heat up quickly for Bard in the Botanics’ al-fresco performance of Shakespeare’s tale of ultimate betrayal and power dynamic: Julius Caesar. … Continue reading Julius Caesar – Bard in the Botanics
Adapted and Directed by Gordon Barr From William Shakespeare ★★★★ Questions of the purpose, necessity, and our perplexing obsession with the ‘God-given right to rule’ hangs on the lips of the nation once more, as in a time of austerity and wide-spread ruinous inequality - the cost of regalia and crown continues to weigh heavy … Continue reading Henry IV – Bard in the Botanics
Written by William Shakespeare Directed by Devki Panchmatia Assistant Direction by Max Lister ★★★ The Ides of March are upon us, and so with the passing of Winter, Caesar will rule no more. Transformed into a den of bootlegged gin, vice and vicious victory, the Debating Hall, Teviot House serves a superbly enchanting setting for … Continue reading Julius Caesar – Debating Hall, Teviot House
Written and Directed by Zinnie Harris Set Design by Tom Piper ★★★★ Lady Macbeth is the theatrical matriarch of antagonism: manipulative and sly, brilliant and controlled - yet her place within the second act is eclipsed by the men strutting with their swords out. But why? Why does a woman who displays little to no … Continue reading Macbeth (An Undoing) – Royal Lyceum Theatre
Performance concept Peter Schaufuss and Ian McKellen Director and Choreographer Peter Schaufuss ★★ The crown sits heavily upon this knight's head, as Ian McKellen, to absolutely no one's surprise, carries the abridged storytelling mechanics of Hamlet – reciting a ‘best of' hits to an apprehensive and a famished crowd eager to see the man who played the … Continue reading Hamlet with Ian McKellen – St Stephens
Written by William Shakespeare Directed by Ewan Downie ★★★★ All good things must pass, as fields wilt and rivers dry, as teeth decay and fledglings fly. So to, Caesar must rule no more. Company of Wolves' already well-received production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar meets its end (for now) in the consecrated corridors of Summerhall – a fitting … Continue reading Julius Caesar – Summerhall
https://youtu.be/wgzyPG68UFA Based on the work of William Shakespeare Musical Direction by Dominic Hill Conduction by Stuart Stratford ★★★★★ Shakespearean Opera – it’s a nightmare of a concoction, merging two gigantic forms of artistic expression, running the risk of overwrought emotion or needless complexity. More often than not, the scroll of failures outweighs the pleasant experiences. … Continue reading Scottish Opera: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Festival Theatre
Written by William Shakespeare Adapted and Directed by Natasha Rickman ★★★ Reinvention maintains the dignity and commercial viability of countless age-old tales, perhaps none more so than the works of William Shakespeare. After numerous retellings, adaptations, castings, and rejuvenation, it’s tremendously complex to reinvigorate the bard’s world beyond his original brilliance. Not for Creation Theatre, … Continue reading Romeo & Juliet – Creation Theatre/Watford Palace Theatre
https://youtu.be/H1MTF-i3WIE Written by William Shakespeare Adapted and Directed by Zoë Seaton ★★★ Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and hereafter King; the story of Macbeth is one ingrained in the minds of schoolchildren across the nation. Encouraged by the infamous three witches of old, the battle-worn Macbeth is tempted into committing heinous acts to further his ends … Continue reading Macbeth – Belfast International Arts Festival
