Written by Jenny de Reuck.
The Fairy Folk transport us back in time to a distant age. It is 1574 and Queen Elizabeth is on the throne in England. A young boy, Will Shakespeare, lives in the market town of Stratford-upon-Avon and wants nothing more in life than to use his wonderful imagination to write plays for the theatre. Each summer, the Mummers, a troop of actors, acrobats and jugglers perform their plays at the May Day Festivities, and this year they have asked Will to write them something special. They are off to London to perform at the Globe, the most famous theatre of the age, and they want to excel.
But all is not well in Will’s life. His father, John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, cannot understand his son’s ambition to write plays and Master Malvolio, a Puritan, believes that the theatre is the source of great evil. With his father and the powerful Puritan ranged against him, Will runs away with his best friend, Viola (Malvolio’s niece) to gain life experience so that his plays are more exciting.
They are
aided by the Mummers who have in their midst Ethel, the Pirate Queen’s
daughter, who cannot bear violence and so has deserted her mother. Mistress Moll
leads a band of Pirates who range the Seven Seas but whose ship, the good Queen
Mab, is taking on supplies in Bristol. The Mummers, with Will and Viola, find
themselves on board the good Queen Mab, at the mercy of the fiendish Pirate
Queen, who sets sail with them before they realize it.
A great storm seizes their vessel and they are shipwrecked on a magic
island where they meet Caliban, Lord of the Island, and his Weird Sisters, as
well as Prospero and his beautiful daughter, Miranda. They join in Caliban’s
birthday celebrations before Fairy magic, combined with the powers of the Weird
Sisters, transports them all to London and the Globe theatre in time for
Will’s play to be performed.
But before
they can tread the boards, though, Malvolio has to change his mind about actors
and they have to persuade the people of Stratford (including Will’s father) of
the value of the theatre …
Shakespeare at Sea introduces many characters from Shakespeare’s comedies including Feste, the Jester, Toby Belch, Maria, Sly and Sneak, Simple and Mistress Quickly. The tragedies are represented by characters in the subplots such as Hamlet (a mouse),Romeo (a dog) and Juliet(a cat) all of whom contribute to Will’s play in some way. Shakespeare at Sea combines fact and fiction to evoke a bygone era and invites you on a theatrical journey with the performers to other imagined worlds.
Shakespeare at Sea Photo Gallery
My name is Chong Shuw Fui from Malaysia. I'm happy that i found this website
that bring my memories back when the time i was a student in murdoch university.
I was one of the production crew in Shakespeare at sea (2002). I didnt take part
in acting because i think be a crew member is also an important task to handle.
I'm also helping all the props, drawing and colouring. Each of the props, I have
participate in.
The pictures and drawing, really bring back my memories and flash back the time
i was having so much fun doing this production. I was doing the flying in and
out curtain. The task is of doing this is not easy. But i was having so much
fun.
Jenny done a good job putting all the cast. Not to mention the scripts that she
write really amazing.
I love children theatre. It's bring the fun and happy to all the children.
Cheers,
Chong Shuw Fui
Did you take part in any of these productions? Do you have any memories to share?
If you would like to contribute any comments, pictures or ideas to this page, please send submissions (with your name attached) to Andrew @ thechaseison@optusnet.com.au
View details on other Children's Theatre productions... The Secret of the Snotty Gobbles: A Fairy Story (2006)
Captain Quokka's Adventures on the High Seas (2005) Athena Emu at the Olympics (2004)
Zak Zebra 's African Safari (2003) Shakespeare at Sea (2002)
The
Minstrel's Tale (2001)
The Greatest Show on Earth:
Go to Children's Theatre: My Journal History Notice Board Your Work
Contact Andrew @ thechaseison@optusnet.com.au
This page last updated: 17th February 2006