Think you know Shakespeare? Think again!
The forthcoming No Holds Bard festival features four one act plays that give a modern take on Shakespeare to create something that today’s audiences will enjoy and find totally accessible.
The plays won a competition organised by Newport Playgoers as their contribution to the nationwide Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages project which has over 260 amateur dramatic companies from all over the UK taking part.
The four new One Act Plays featured in the No Holds Bard festival:
‘Roman and Julia’ by Gary Dooley
The course of true love runs far from smoothly for a couple in a retirement home
‘Only Words Remain’ by Kevin Myers
A story about love, loss and the persistence of language.
‘To Dream Perchance to Die’ by Russell Walker
A play about every actor’s nightmare recurring over and over again
‘Poor Yorick’ by Phil Mansell
Hamlet’s jester tries to pioneer stand-up comedy but becomes caught up in a plot for revenge
Book your tickets now for the ‘No Holds Bard’ festival which will be staged at the Dolman Theatre from 15 – 17 March.
OTHER NEWS STORIES:
Northants Writer’s Play to be Staged in RSC Open Stages Project
A play written by Northampton man Gary Dooley has won a competition to be staged by Newport Playgoers Society at the city’s Dolman Theatre – with the possibility of going on to be performed at Stratford as part of the World Shakespeare Year celebrations.
Winning playwright Gary Dooley
Gary Dooley’s play ‘Roman and Julia’ is an updated version of Shakespeare’s story of feuding families, set in a nursing home where an elderly couple, one of whom has senile dementia, fall in love but are kept apart by their relatives who are on opposite sides of the political fence.
‘Roman and Julia’ is one of four one act plays that won the competition organised by Newport Playgoers as their contribution to the nationwide Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages project which has over 260 amateur dramatic companies from all over the UK taking part.
“I am thrilled to have had my play selected for the No Holds Bard festival,” said 48-year-old Gary who, in parallel with a long career in research has always maintained an involvement in theatre. “For the budding playwright it’s the ultimate goal, being told that someone has enough faith in your work to put their own time, energy and resources into staging it.
“There are so few opportunities around for new playwrights, so all credit to Newport Playgoers Society for having the vision and courage to promote new work. My father was recently diagnosed with dementia and it certainly makes you think differently about what the future holds. In a curious way, it’s quite life affirming because it makes you realise that you have to seize every opportunity as it comes along, and essentially that is what ‘Roman and Julia’ is about – seizing opportunities.”
Gary has acted in and directed many plays including ‘King Lear’, ‘Measure for Measure’ and ‘Othello’, in England, America and Australia, More recently, he has focused on writing rather than directing and last year was the only British playwright to have a play short-listed in Short and Sweet, the world’s largest short play festival in Melbourne, Australia. He is an active member of Northampton Writers Group and has published two books of classical monologues for young actors.
The ‘No Holds Bard’ festival of one act plays is at the Dolman Theatre in Newport from 15 – 17 March. Tickets can be booked by phoning the box office on 01633 263670 or visiting www.dolmantheatre.co.uk.
Newport Playgoers 