Fremantle Theatre Company (FTC) and Bankwest have partnered to return a summer icon to WA audiences, with Bankwest Shakespeare in the Park to be staged in Perth and regional WA for the first time in almost a decade.
Shakespeare in the Park was a staple of the Perth arts calendar, drawing audiences each summer to Kings Park’s Botanical Gardens and has been sorely missed by many.
The seven-year absence will this year end in dramatic fashion, with FTC taking the 2021-22 Bankwest Shakespeare in the Park both back to the Botanic Gardens and beyond the city stages to regional WA audiences for its production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The show is scheduled to begin at Margaret River’s Leeuwin Estate on 29-30 December, before moving to Bunbury and Albany, returning to the metro area in Fremantle on 12-15 January, and ending at Kings Park for 19-29 January.
“We’re incredibly excited to return Bankwest Shakespeare in the Park to WA, and I thank Bankwest for coming on board in 2021-22 to make it possible in Perth and also in the regions, FTC Artistic Director Renato Fabretti said.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a Shakespeare classic and we’re thrilled to deliver it to families and theatre lovers as a Christmas present for the community, and as vital work and engagement for local artists.
“WA has always been a unique part of the world, but the past 18 months have made us even more so, and what better way to celebrate our freedom, sublime summers and rich culture than Bankwest Shakespeare in the Park.
“We’re bringing together a mix of incredible new local talent, New York-trained performers, and WAAPA/NIDA graduates, each excited to hit the grass and wake up audiences from a long slumber.
“The creative team is working hard to forge a touring caravan, the design of which is rooted in recognisable Australian iconography, expanding, and innovating with the simple but divine purpose of indulging the senses.
“These Bankwest Shakespeare in the Park performances will deliver a charming night under the stars, filled with fun and fantasy, loud love and strange surprises, poetry, and even a hint of Midsummer magic.”
Shakespeare In The Park is running from Dec 29 – Jan 19 in Margaret River, Bunbury, Albany, Fremantle and Perth. For tickets and more info, head to fremantletheatrecompany.com.au
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