Statespeare

Overview

When kids at school are busy updating their Iphone apps and Facebook-ing their beloved, you have to wonder if Shakespeare is still relevant? It's this timely question that a class of grade 12 students are required to answer as part of an assignment. Statespeare focuses on four clashing students in particular, who are made against their will to work together (remember how fun group work was at school?) and address Shakespeare's 400 year old works. It's a veritable Shakespearean Breakfast Club.

Much like the cult teen angst movie, the play sees the fairly standard assignment develop into a bonding exercise between the students - drama nerds Lachlan and Nerys and popular trouble makers Jay and Rob, allowing them to discus, debate and rehearse some of Shakespeare's most famous and compelling scenes. Statespeare is a Shakespeare mix-tape of sorts, including scenes from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Romeo & Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, Titus Andronicus amongst others. All in all the students get swept up in the language and power of Shakespeare, and the audience gets to go along for the ride.

Statespeare cleverly brings Shakespeare into the digital era and modern day school ground via a humorous and fast paced performance. Catch the show in Brisbane until the May 29 before commences a four-month national tour.