OBSERVER: Shakespeare’s Best Bits
An Australian Shakespeare Company production, Peter Quince Presents: Shakespeare’s Best Bits, will take the Bard off the school syllabus and let his fun characters run loose in the Royal Botanic Gardens from December 20 – January 17.
Led by Peter Quince (the carpenter), the Atheneum Players – Athens’ premium troupe at the time (1595) unleash their highly polished zingers as they embark on a frantic quest to earn their right to perform at the duke’s wedding.
Joining Quince are his mischievous “Mechanicals” – Snug, Nick Bottom, Francis Flute, Tom Snout and Robin Starveling. Their inspiration is none other than William Shakespeare himself – and his collection of classic plays.
From star-crossed lovers and shipwrecks to swordfights and soliloquies, this production pulls together highlights from half a dozen of the Elizabethan master’s most famous works in a fast-paced, inventive montage of mistaken identities, slapstick and theatrical mayhem.
Along the way, audiences will encounter Hamlet as the MasterChef of Denmark, the Much Ado About Nothing boot scoot, King Lear in a hip-hop battle, an interpretive ballet rendition of Romeo and Juliet, and a musical version of Antony and Cleopatra – featuring Johnny Cash and an inflatable snake.
Artistic Director Glenn Elston said: “Peter Quince Presents: Shakespeare’s Best Bits is Shakespeare unshackled – fast, funny and full of surprises. If you loved The Mechanicals in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this production is perfect for anyone who enjoys very funny theatre – whether a seasoned theatregoer or a first-time visitor.”
Performance Season: December 20 – January 17 at 7.30pm
Venue: Royal Botanic Gardens, Southern Cross Lawn (enter through Observatory Gate on Birdwood Avenue)
Tickets: From $49.90 (General Admission and A Reserve Packages Available)
On sale via shakespeareaustralia.com.au, call 8676 7511 or via Ticketmaster
Cheryl Threadgold