Stage and screen brings drama back to Canberra audiences AND beyond
In a winter of COVID19 discontent a Shakespeare classic is being re-imagined to bring glorious live drama to audiences in Canberra & beyond.
“Rockspeare” is a slimmed down version of Richard III and will be like no other play ever produced in the national capital.
It will be performed before a ticketed studio audience at EPIC (Exhibition Park In Canberra) which will be available for screening to a wider audience through online live streaming.
This unique take on one of Shakespeare’s most well-known works is being created by Lakespeare & Co., which has brought the hugely popular open-air Shakespeare productions to Canberrans for the last few summers, in collaboration with ACT-based Event Audio Visual Services (EAVS). That free summer season is known as Shakespeare by the Lakes.
EPIC’s Mallee Pavilion has been converted into a television studio for the production which will be staged on Friday August 7 and Saturday August 8.
The ten-strong cast, directed by Lexi Sekuless, will perform a 90-minute version of Shakespeare’s depiction of the Machiavellian rise to power and turbulent short reign of King Richard III.
Eight cameras will document their performances backed up by a production team that will combine stage and audio-visual skills to give a contemporary twist to a classic play.
“Rockspeare” will feature original music composed by Jay Cameron and costumes, described as “glam rock meets Elizabethan”, created by Fiona Victoria Hopkins.
The production will offer much needed opportunities to Canberra’s creative sector that has been blindsided by the Coronavirus and the resulting various stages of lockdown. Only one Lakespeare company member was eligible for JobKeeper and a handful of the actors are covered thanks to other employees. But all the cast were fearful of no work for the remainder of 2020. On a slim budget, all funding goes to the creatives, in keeping with Lakespeare’s goal to support independent professionals in Canberra.
The event is part of the Where You Are Festival, a two month event supported by the ACT Government which promises to ”deliver exciting and vibrant cultural experiences … in the context of COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions”.
Contact Lexi Sekuless for interview opportunities.
info at lakespeare.com
For more information see https://www.lakespeare.com/rockspeare/
Times dates, and location of events
3.30pm Saturday 12 July Live stream Cast reading Approx. 90 minutes
7.30pm Wednesday 22 July Live stream Character deep dive Approx. 45 minutes
7.30pm Friday 7 August Live audience/ Performance and Q&A Approx. 120 minutes
live stream
7.30pm Saturday 8 August Live audience/ Performance and Q&A Approx. 120 minutes
live stream
Live audience show location: Mallee Pavilion EPIC (Exhibition Park)
Cnr Flemington Rd and Northbourne Ave
Mitchell ACT 2911
Photo Credit: PassOut Media
