The Tempest (Melbourne Shakespeare Company)

After a string of sell-out smash hit shows Melbourne’s favourite Shakespeare Company will be returning to Central Park with their larger-than-life adaptation of The Tempest. This brand-new musical production is the brainchild of acclaimed Melbourne Director Chelsea Matheson (Telling Tales) with Musical Direction from Benjamin Colley (As You Like It) and Movement Direction from Tref Gare (The King’s Player).

Back in Central Park, Malvern for the first time since their sell-out season of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Melbourne Shakespeare Company are ready to blow audiences away with stellar performances, innovative staging, and a live rock accompaniment. That’s right, they’ll be taking you all the way back to the 80s, imbuing this Shakespeare classic with all the grit and spunk of punk rock.

Whilst audiences know Melbourne Shakespeare Company for their hilarious outdoor productions, The Tempest is going to take that concept and turn it up to 11. Literally. With hits like Holding Out for a Hero, It’s Raining Men, and Final Countdown performed live by their incredible cast of actor musicians, expect a rock concert to accompany your picnic in the park!

In discussing what makes this production of The Tempest so captivating, director Chelsea Matheson:

It’s The Tempest like you’ve never seen it before. As a group of magical outcasts thrive in the sub-cultural landscape and image of 1980’s Punk, we take an engaging story of exclusion and rebellion, and set it against the clear and colourful world of commercial 1980’s pop culture.

As a returning Melbourne Shakespeare Company collaborator, Chelsea also Says:

Seeing a Melbourne Shakespeare show is the perfect summer activity in the park for the whole family! Melbourne Shakespeare Company truly relishes the art of creating engaging and exciting outdoor Shakespeare. Audiences can expect not only an entertaining day in Malvern’s beautiful Central Park, but a show that is colourful, bold, hilarious, and filled with familiar music we all know and love.

Tackling what is widely known as one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays is a cast of thirteen accomplished artists, including Aram Geleris as Prospero, Katherine Pearson as Ariel, Liliana Dalton as Miranda, and Michael Sakinofsky as Caliban. This stellar cast guarantees audiences a wild ride across the high seas with touching performances, high-octane musical numbers, and a whole lot of fun.

For Melbourne Shakespeare Company being able to perform in beautiful outdoor locations like Central Park, comes with a responsibility to look after the spaces in which they rehearse and perform. That’s why they are so proud to be industry leaders in sustainable theatre-making, empowering designers to make environmentally conscious choices. Audiences will be amazed by how the upcycled masterpieces from set designer Hayley James (King Lear) and costume designer Cortnee Jarvis (Alice in Wonderland) leave a lasting effect on them (and not the park!).

The Tempest opens on the 25th of February in Central Park, Malvern and is recommended for audiences of all ages. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket or a foldable chair and to sit back and relax whilst Melbourne Shakespeare rocks their socks off. Protective sun-wear is recommended for matinee performances. Tickets are now available at melbourneshakespeare.com.

This production is proudly supported by the City of Stonnington.

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Season Details

Venue: Central Park| Malvern
Date: 25 Feb – 12 Mar 2023

For more information click HERE

Photo Credit: Chelsea Neate