Date: Sunday, 13 May 2018
Time: 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM
Location: GNTP, Laguna, NSW
Twenty of Shakespeare’s Mothers will come to Cessnock to celebrate Mother’s Day with us all.
Shakespeare wrote the most dynamic female characters theatre has ever seen – Lady Macbeth, Queen Margaret, Cleopatra. His treacherous, adulterous, vengeful mothers are especially powerful. Exploiting their fatal fascination over husbands, sons and lovers, Shakespeare uses these women to drive his most thrilling plots.
But how would this famous playwright answer charges of inciting female violence through his ‘inappropriate’ role models? As twenty of these fascinating characters re-live the most exciting moments of their lives, Shakespeare presents his case.
‘Shakespeare’s Mothers…’ was highly successful in full performances at both the Edinburgh and Adelaide Festival Fringes in 2010 and 2011. Now some of its cast members then and in Straylight Australia’s following play ‘Shakespeare’s Queens: She-wolves and Serpents’ – which went on from the festivals to London’s West End – are coming to Cessnock.
Local professional theatre team, Kath Perry and Annette Rowlison, are back in action. Together with a strong team of actors, they will present a reading of the play at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery to help us celebrate Mother’s Day with some of Shakespeare’s fascinating role models.
Cessnock Regional Art Gallery Chairperson, Katrina Rose, is keen to broaden the range of art the gallery exhibits. ‘I see this Shakespeare play reading as an excellent move in this direction,’ she said. ‘Hearing the opinions of twenty of his amazing mothers will give us an action-filled and exciting theatrical addition to Mother’s Day’.
Playwright, producer and actor, Kath Perry, says ‘We presented a reading of this play in Liverpool, UK a couple of years ago and it was a great success. I am thrilled at the opportunity to bring it to Cessnock. My favourite reviews of the Adelaide Fringe performances include, ‘Professional and slick’ (Adelaide Advertiser), ‘Clever and funny’ (Adelaide Theatre Guide), ‘A fantastic journey through the strong women of Shakespeare’ (Yaniblog), and ‘A superbly crafted piece of theatre’ (Glam Adelaide). Perry hopes the local audience will also find it exciting and fun.
Performance: Mother’s Day, Sunday 13 May, 5:30pm, Cessnock Regional Art Gallery, 16 Vincent Street, NSW 2325
Tickets: $20 (inc. glass of wine). Book at the Gallery or by phone 02 4991 6619 or info@crag.net.au
