Skip to main content

'Shakespeare Pick and (re)Mix!’ // Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble

 The ‘2022 Fringe Brisbane’ festival is a chance for independent and local artists to bring their works to the stage, and Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble’s production of ‘Shakespeare Pick and (re)Mix!’ was nothing short of a fantastic night out. Held in the heart of Fortitude Valley at Elements Collective, the audience saw ‘Express Macbeth’, ‘Half Hour Hamlet’ and ‘Instant Romeo & Juliet’ characters each try to convince the audience why their story deserved to be told. 

As the crowd entered the makeshift theatre, members of the ensemble shoved signs in their faces, asking for votes…very similar to Australia’s election polling booths. Each play was given 30 seconds to give their elevator pitch to the audience for the chance to perform their play on this night (after a fantastic Hamilton-style rap sequence). On 14 October, Hamlet was victorious.

After a marvellous introduction, the audience was instructed in true Shakespearean style to make night noises, be involved with the production and scream “encore” at the end. (Back in the Elizabethan era, it was customary for the peasants, or audience, to shout out “boo” at the villain, etc.)

Shakespeare lovers and haters alike watched a shortened version of the tragedy ‘Hamlet’, affectionately dubbed ‘Half Hour Hamlet.’ Over 30 minutes, the audience saw the wonderful highlights of the play coupled with some incomparable costume changes. However, what happened next was a true spectacle: the ensemble shortened the story not once, but twice! The ending round saw the story of ‘Hamlet’ performed from start to finish in five minutes flat.

Director Rebecca Murphy has created a truly hilarious evening out for Fringe Brisbane. Murphy has clearly worked and trained these actors to embody Shakespeare’s characters for such a fast-paced performance. The set design was extremely simple, however very useful: four small velcro boxes were utilised and easily moved into many positions –perfect for the creation of different shows. Lighting was basic, using the overhead LED bulbs for the entirety of the show.

The ensemble consisted of Leah Fitzgerald-Quinn, Liliana Macarone, Rebecca Murphy, Dudley Powell, Rebekah Schmidt and Angus Thorburn. All members of the ensemble came out for this production with an absolutely crazy amount of energy that did not falter. Each ensemble member brought their character to life in this production and had the entire audience engaged from the moment we walked into the venue. 

Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble has created a hilarious and fantastic night out in the heart of Brisbane! Get on down to catch this awesome production or book for another show as part of the Brisbane Fringe Festival.

Original Article: https://www.theatrehaus.com/2022/10/shakespeare-pick-and-remix-queensland-shakespeare-ensemble/

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Picnic at Hanging Rock - Javeenbah Theatre Company

Written by Mark Rickell “The infamous picnic has become a faux Australian history that has haunted the Australian psyche for almost fifty years.” - Hunter Wall, Director This is the backdrop on which the story takes place, not that of the period in history, but in the present. In the effect of this story and what it means to Australians. Children study the text in schools, the name, and the mystery, is synonymous with Australian literature.  “Whether Picnic at Hanging Rock is fact or fiction, my readers must decide for themselves. As the fateful picnic took place in the year nineteen hundred, and all the characters who appear in this book are long since dead, it hardly seems important.” - Joan Lindsay, Author This adaptation of the text is extremely true to the original material, and serves as an excellent example of the power of theatre as a way of bringing stories to life. This adaptation, expertly staged at Javeenbah Theatre, is a triumph of storytelling. It is clear that dire...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oliver! // Redcliffe Musical Theatre

  Presented at the Redcliffe Entertainment Center, this fantastic production by Redcliffe Musical Theatre is stunning from the first down beat. Set in Victorian England, Oliver Twist has lived in the workhouse since his mother passed during his birth. Now an adolescent, Oliver manages to escape from the grips of the workhouse and flees to London. Oliver finally feels at home when he is welcomed into a group of young boys, led by the charming Artful Dodger who “makes wallets” for Fagin. He later finds out that the group is a band of pickpocketing thieves. Of this band of rascals is the violent Bill Sykes and his devoted girlfriend Nancy. Oliver begins to see Nancy as the mother figure that he never had and they form a strong, familial bond. However, while out on a job with Dodger, Oliver is picked up by the Bow Street Runners and placed into the care of Mr. Brownlow. Concerned for their own safety, Fagin and Bill form a plot to steal Oliver back and keep him from talking. The impres...
Post a Comment
Read more

Metaverse of Magic //JONES Theatrical Group & QPAC

  Are you ready for a night of wonder, bewilderment and magic? Then look no further than the Metaverse of Magic playing at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre's Concert Hall until January 14, 2024! This fantastic immersive production takes the audience on a journey through the Metaverse to face the four masters of illusion to unlock the magical relics. Led by Lenoxx (Ash Hodgkinson - Ash Magic) the audience must help Lenoxx escape the Metaverse by completing interactive challenges via a device. This one-of-a-kind production combines some of the most renowned illusionists and cutting-edge technology to create a fantastic theatre experience.  Hodgkinson is not only a great actor but is also a magician showing off their fantastic sleight of hand card tricks. Then enters the  Legacy  master, Charli Ashby, providing us a steampunk-inspired performance of old school (or legacy!) magic such as sawing people in half! Then came Horret Wu from Taiwan showcasing some incredib...
Post a Comment
Read more